Box Score
SAN ANTONIO —
Crystal Keller sparkled in her season debut Saturday, throwing a nine-strikeout, complete-game shutout of Eastern New Mexico on Day 2 of the St. Mary's College Softball Classic.
Keller (Sr., LaCoste, Texas) yielded just one hit in the 8-0, run-rule victory, capping off a day in which the Rattlers went 1-1 at the SAISD Sports Complex.
Earlier in the day, the Rattlers lost a 5-2 contest to No. 4 Angelo State, as the Rambelles broke open a 1-1 deadlock in the sixth before hanging on late as the Rattlers had the tying run at the plate in the bottom of the seventh.
Against Eastern New Mexico (0-4), the Rattlers used a five-run first inning to cruise to victory.
Alex Rodriguez (So., Eagle Pass, Texas) had two RBIs on the day, while outfielder
Taylor Vidrine (So., San Antonio) and shortstop
Sarah Perez (Sr., San Marcos, Texas) each added an RBI.
Earlier in the day,
Amanda Villa (So., San Antonio) singled to right field in the bottom of the fourth inning to tie the Rattlers' contest against Angelo State at 1-1. But the lead was shortlived, as ASU struck back in the sixth.
A defensively inefficient seventh inning cost St. Mary's, losing one ball in the sun in the outfield and misplaying another in the outfield to help Angelo State score a trio of runs to lead 5-1.
St. Mary's catcher
Christina Rodriguez (Sr., San Antonio), fresh off a two-homer performance the night before, represented the tying run when she came to the plate with two away in the bottom of the seventh, but flied out to right field to end the game.
St. Mary's will be back on the field Saturday, playing a pair of games to wrap up the tournament. The Rattlers will take on Southeastern Oklahoma State at 11:30 a.m., followed by a 1:30 p.m. contest against East Central.
St. Mary's University, as a Catholic Marianist University, fosters the formation of people in faith and educates leaders for the common good through community service, integrated liberal arts and professional education, and academic excellence. The University has six athletic national titles: men's basketball (1989–NAIA), baseball (2001–NCAA Div. II), softball (1986–NAIA and 2002–NCAA Div. II) and an individual national champion in men's golf (2006–NCAA Div. II) and a national academic championship in men's golf (2009–NCAA Div. II). St. Mary's also had more than 40 percent of its athletes named to conference, regional and/or national honor rolls this past year. St. Mary's student–athletes graduation rate is 65 percent, higher than the NCAA Division II average of 55 percent. To learn more about St. Mary's, visit www.rattlerathletics.com.
