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Box Score 2 SAN ANTONIO — St. Mary's Softball continues to show what all the hype's about.
The No. 14-ranked Rattlers opened up the 2014 St. Mary's Rattler Invitational with a pair of victories Friday, breezing past Western Oregon 7-3 before outlasting Midwestern State 6-4 on the opening day of the Rattler Invitational at the brand-new Softball Stadium inside The Park at St. Mary's.
Designated player
Laura Benavidez totaled five RBIs on the day — giving the junior from Robstown, Texas an eye-popping 10 for the week — to help the Rattlers earn their ninth and 10
th straight games to improve to 14-3 on the season.
Against Western Oregon, the Rattlers jumped out to an early 5-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning and never looked back. The inning was highlight by a three-run home run from junior
Alex Rodriguez. It was Rodriguez's fourth home run on the young season.
Benavidez also had a big game, as she was able to get three RBIs off of her only hit. Following the day, Benavidez has the second-most RBIs on the season for the Rattlers with 17.
Vianna Gutierrez was the winning pitcher for St. Mary's, striking out three batters over the course of four innings. Gutierrez is now 3-1 on the season.
Maricela Bissaro also pitched in relief and was able to convert the save. Bissaro did not allow a hit over the course of the three innings that she pitched.
In Game 2, it was a familiar winning face —
Emily Brittain — earning the victory in the circle to improve to 10-2 on the season. She fanned four in the complete-game victory, holding Midwestern State scoreless over the first four innings until the Mustangs started getting going with one run in the fifth, another in the sixth and two more in the seventh.
Benavidez and
Haley Richter, the team leader with 22 RBIs, led the way with two RBIs apiece.
St. Mary's will return to action Saturday for games against Central Oklahoma and Eastern New Mexico at 2 and 4 p.m., respectively.
