SAN ANTONIO _ A pair of home runs were the difference Thursday night as the UTSA Roadrunners downed the University of Central Arkansas Bears 4-0 in Southland Conference action at Roadrunner Field.

UTSA's Tyler Carpenter had a solo home run in the sixth inning that broke open a pitcher's duel, then Ryan Hutson added a two-run shot in the eighth inning. UCA junior starter Dustin Ward, the reigning SLC Pitcher of the Week, allowed seven hits and struck out eight in eight innings of work.

Ward (8-4) had given up just three hits before Carpenter's blast in the sixth. UTSA left hander Casey Selsor (5-5) was even sharper, allowing six hits and striking out nine for the complete-game shutout. Both pitchers threw 120 pitches, with Ward recording 83 strikes and Selsor 80.

Senior Jonathan Houston and junior Bryan Willson had two hits each for the Bears, who are still mathematically alive for a conference tournamant berth. Trailing 1-0, the Bears put two runners on base in the top of the eighth but Blake Roberts was out at home on an attempted safety squeeze bunt by senior Zack Dickson and a force play at third base ended the threat.

In the bottom of the inning, R.J. Perucki singled up the middle and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. After Ward got Matthew James on strikes for the fourth time in the game, Carpenter blooped a ball that fell in the infield, allowing Perucki to score for a 2-0 lead.

Hutson followed with his seventh home run of the season.

Game 2 of the series is set for 6 p.m. Friday.