AUSTIN, Texas—South Dakota and starting pitcher Peyton Maher put perhaps the biggest scare into eighth-ranked Texas the Longhorns have had all season. The Coyotes took a 5-1 lead into the bottom of the sixth inning before the Texas lineup came through to earn a 6-5 comeback win against South Dakota in the opening game of a tournament hosted at McCombs Field.
 
The Coyotes scored three runs in the top of the first and added two more in the third to build their lead. Camille Fowler singled and later scored on a Lauren Wobken single to open the scoring. Courtney Wilson's two-out single to left center plated two more.
 
In the third, it was a Gabby Moser sacrifice fly that made it 4-1 and a Dylan Underwood groundout that scored Jadyn DeWitte to make it 5-1.
 
Meanwhile, Maher, a freshman from Newton, Iowa, making her fifth collegiate start, recovered quickly from a solo home run by Texas shortstop McKenzie Parker two batters into her performance. Maher allowed just two other singles in two trips through the Longhorns' potent lineup to reach the sixth inning.
 
But a third time through proved too tall a task. A bunt single, a double by Parker and a walk put the first three runners on board in the sixth inning. Mary Iakopo singled to make it 5-2 and Taylor Ellsworth doubled to make it 5-4.
 
The next batter, Lauren Burke, lifted a pitch close to the wall in right center that was caught by USD right fielder Makayla Tsagalis. But Tsagalis went to the ground after making the catch and Ellsworth, who tagged from second base, was able to beat the relay home to score the second run on the play and gave Texas the lead.
 
From there, it was all Shea O'Leary. The National Freshman of the Year in 2019, O'Leary entered the circle in relief of Day for Texas in the third, and though she wasn't able to stop the two Coyote runners she inherited from scoring, she limited the damage and then pitched four perfect innings to close out the win.
 
The victory moved Texas to 21-3 while South Dakota fell to 4-21. Wilson was 2-for-3 for South Dakota. Wobken scored two runs.
 
UTSA 5, South Dakota 2
There was no such drama in the nightcap. UTSA jumped out to a 4-1 lead after two innings and held on for a 5-2 win against South Dakota. Clarissa Hernandez went the distance for the Roadrunners (6-13) in the circle, allowing six hits with no walks and no strikeouts.
 
Wilson tripled and scored on a DeWitte sacrifice fly in the second and Underwood singled and scored on a Lauren Eamiguel base hit in the fifth for the Coyotes. Moser was 2-for-3 in game two. Holly Fletcher pitched four solid innings of relief for South Dakota. She allowed no runs on two hits with three strikeouts.
 
South Dakota will take on UT Arlington at 4 p.m. Saturday before getting a rematch with UTSA at 7 p.m.