Box Score
ODESSA, Texas —
Nicole Sardelich started Saturday's softball action with a bang, blasting a leadoff home run for St. Mary's against Texas-Permian Basin.
The Rattlers didn't let up from there, blanking UTPB 7-0 to sweep the series and extend their winning streak to 18 games, the longest of head coach
Donna Fields' 17-year coaching career at St. Mary's.
St. Mary's, ranked No. 5 in the nation, has now won 32 of its last 33 games and improved to 36-4 on the season, furthering the best start in program history. St. Mary's also improved to 12-0 in Heartland Conference play, opening up a four-game lead over 8-4 Texas A&M International in the race for the Heartland Conference regular-season championship.
The Rattlers will have a chance to equal the program's record win streak of 20 games when they host Texas A&M-Kingsville in a doubleheader Tuesday. Game times are 4 and 6 p.m. at the Softball Stadium inside The Park at St. Mary's.
While Sardelich's leadoff shot sparked the Rattlers' offensive attack,
Emily Brittain's steady pitching arm in the circle piloted the defensive effort, which capped off a three-game series in which the Rattlers surrendered a total of one run.
Brittain pitched a complete-game shutout, scattering five hits and striking out two to improve to 18-3 on the season.
After taking a 1-0 lead in the first, St. Mary's struck with three more runs in the fourth off an RBI double from
Amanda Villa and a two-RBI double from
Katie Nichols. The Rattlers scored two more in the fifth and one more in the seventh to open up a 7-0 lead.
Sardelich and
Alex Rodriguez led St. Mary's at the plate, as each went 2 for 4 on the day with an RBI. Nichols had two RBIs on one hit.
