Box Score SAN ANTONIO — Rattler Baseball ended the regular season on a high note, taking the series finale over Texas A&M International with a stunning comeback Saturday, 9-6.
In a game that had the Rattlers down 6-0, No. 22 St. Mary's came surging back, sparked by a huge, three-run homer from
Al Gonzalez (RS-So., Pasadena, Texas) that secured its spot as the No. 2 seed in the upcoming Heartland Conference Championship Tournament.
The Heartland Conference Championship Tournament begins Thursday, hosted by No. 1 seed St. Edward's. For tournament details and links to live stats and video, please check back with RattlerAthletics.com.
Things looked meek for the Snakes by the fourth as a 6-0 TAMIU lead was blaring down on them but Gonzalez's big fly brought the Rattlers back in the game, 6-4, after
Scott Jones first put the Rattlers on the board with an RBI-single.
"It really gives me the confidence to go up there and do what I do," said Gonzalez of his third homer on the season. "Especially at this time of the year, I feel like my team is really going to need me."
After a four-run fourth inning, the Rattlers brought it within one off an RBI-single from Jones (Jr., College Station, Texas) in the fifth before taking it away in the eighth with another four-spot.
Gonzalez brought in the tying run in the eighth before a bases-clearing triple from
Mario Maldonado (Jr., Laredo, Texas) did the Dustdevils (16-34, 6-22 in conference) in, sealing the Rattlers' come-from-behind win, 9-6.
StMU totaled 11 hits in the win with Gonzalez leading with four RBI on 2 for 3 batting while Jones went 3 for 3 with two RBI.
Nathan Humpal (Sr., Corpus Christi, Texas) also recorded a multiple-hit day, notching a pair of hits and two runs scored.
The Rattlers' speedy leadoff man
Brooks Orton (Jr., Cedar City, Utah) swiped his 30
th base on the season against the Dustdevils, tying the program's single-season stolen base record.
Freshman
Ty Miles (Seguin, Texas) rose in the comeback win in solid relief work, tossing five quality innings to pick up his second collegiate win, allowing two hits while fanning a pair of Dustdevils.
With the regular season behind now behind them, the Rattlers will enter the Heartland Conference Championship Tournament pumped after a big win.
"It boosts our morale and our confidence," said Gonzalez of the importance of Saturday's win. "Mostly because we came back from a 6-0 deficit. We were able to push through and our bullpen came through today so we should be ready for conference."
St. Mary's ended the regular season 32-18 overall and 18-12 in Heartland Conference play.
