Box Score
SAN ANTONIO — Eleven innings later, the Rattlers picked up their fourth straight win of the season with a clutch walk-off single from
Weston Heiligman in a thriller over Oklahoma Christian University that put St. Mary's bats and arms to the test.
The bases were loaded in the bottom of the 11th after a single from
Al Gonzalez (RS-Fr., Pasedena, Texas), a double from
Ivan Sigala (Sr., El Paso, Texas) and an intentional walk of
Jan Paul Reguero (RS-Fr., Aquadilla, Puerto Rico).
As the Eagles were biding for a double play to extend the game to 12 innings, Heiligman (RS-So., Castroville, Texas) hit his second career game-winner with a hard-hit single up the middle to bring the bench rushing the field in the No. 1 Rattlers' 3-2 victory at Wolff Stadium.
St. Mary's (4-0, 3-0 in conference) bats were quiet throughout much of the game as the Eagles' (1-1) pitching staff sliced 10 strikeouts for the contest, until a spurt in the sixth saw the Rattlers total four hits and two runs off a double from
Billy Richard (Sr., Schertz, Texas) and a single from
Brandon Bates (Sr., Boerne, Texas).
The Eagles answered quickly, however, totaling two of their own runs in their next at-bat that brought on the first appearance of transfer
Nathan Humpal (Jr., Corpus Christi, Texas) on the mound.
“My role right now is middle-relief/long-relief,” said Humpal, who has also played first base for the Rattlers this season. “I like that spot.”
His play reflected that.
Making his pitching debut as a Rattler, Humpal struck out his first career batter and contained the Eagles for 2 1/3 innings. Of his eight batters faced, Humpal retired four, allowing one hit and walking none as he set the table for closer
Jonathan Perez (Sr., San Antonio) to enter in the 11th en route to picking up his first victory of the season.
“I came in after a righty, kind of a more fastball guy,” said Humpal of taking the mound after
Rick Villa's (RS-Jr., San Antonio) first appearance of the season. “And I have some off-speed pitches and just mixed up some stuff and hit some corners and missed some barrels and was good to go.”
Humpal's steady work made way for Perez to shut it down, tossing the final inning and striking out one of his three batters faced.
Derek Moczygemba (Sr., Bulverde, Texas) started the day, sitting down six in 6 1/3 innings pitched.
The Rattlers' 11-hit, 11-inning victory saw two hits from Richard, Bates, Gonzalez and
Mario Maldonado (So., Laredo, Texas), as well as contact from
Adrian Garcia (RS-Jr., El Paso, Texas), who also recorded a stolen base, Sigala and the game-winner from Heiligman.
St. Mary's is back to Heartland Conference play this weekend, gearing for a three-game series against the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith. The Rattlers start their doubleheader against the Lions Friday at Wolff Stadium at 1 p.m.
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.
