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Box Score 2
SAN ANTONIO — The tone inside Dickson Stadium on Opening Day of St. Mary's new ballpark didn't change much over the course of five hours Saturday afternoon.
From start to finish, it was a scene of celebration.
With two away in the top of the ninth and StMU protecting a one-run lead against the University of Mary, Rattler centerfielder
Adrian Garcia fired a frozen rope to home plate that allowed catcher
Keith Funk to make the game-saving tag just in time at the plate to secure the 2-1 victory in the back end of a doubleheader.
It was a fitting end for the festive afternoon, which got started with the dedication of David C. Dickson Stadium. David Dickson, a 1968 graduate of St. Mary's who made a generous $1 million donation to The Park at St. Mary's project, threw out the ceremonial first pitch along with grandsons Dillon Dickson and Blake Bolado, who also served as bat boys on a day that drew 953 fans to the park. Dickson's Rho Beta Gamma fraternity was also recognized on the day for its significant contributions to The Park at St. Mary's.
"It was great," said David Dickson, joking only that he was disappointed by his two-hopper to the plate. "I'm glad to see all the students get involved. The weather turned out pretty and it was just one of those great days."
The No. 15-ranked Rattlers (3-1) ensured it was things went just as great on the field.
St. Mary's jumped on U-Mary early, scoring four runs in the first inning of Game 1 before taking a seven-run lead by the third inning of an eventual 7-2 victory.
Rene Solis went the distance for St. Mary's on the mound, striking out nine over seven innings. Leadoff hitter
Scott Jones led the way at the plate with a 3-for-4 showing, while
Drake Roberts,
Al Gonzalez and
Omar Garcia also had multi-hit outings.
Game 2 wasn't quite as easy.
St. Mary's was held hitless until the sixth and scoreless until the seventh, when Roberts singled to left field to bring in Garcia to tie the game at 1-1. An inning later, Funk got one through the middle to drive in
Kenny Corona for what proved to be the winning run.
From all ends, Rattler fans like what they saw.
"It's a beautiful stadium," Dickson said, "and the new softball complex is world-class. I'm hoping it leads to some national tournaments and bigger and better things for the University. It's the reason why a whole lot of us worked real hard just for the University.
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.
