By Robin Johnson | St. Mary's Athletics Communications SAN ANTONIO — Rattler Baseball was one for dramatics in the series doubleheader finale against Central Baptist College Friday, celebrating two walk-off victories, 7-5 and 11-10, to put them on an eight-game winning streak despite harsh weather conditions.
With the wind chill below freezing and a constant mist at Dickson Stadium, St. Mary's Baseball heated up in clutch time as Al Gonzalez (RS-Jr., Houston) smacked a two-RBI walk-off homer in Game 1 while Brooks Orton (Sr., Cedar City, Utah) knocked in the winning run with the bases loaded with a walk-off single in Game 2.
The two walk-off victories provided the Snakes with the four-game series sweep over CBC, extending their winning streak to eight and improving their record to 12-4 on the season.
Game 1 was true comeback for the Ratters as StMU trailed the entire game to the Mustangs (6-6) until their final at-bat, going in the fourth inning down 5-1.
Gonzalez hit his first bomb of the day, a two-RBI blast, in the fourth to slice the deficit to 5-3.
Bryce Brandl's (RS-Fr., El Campo, Texas) RBI-double in the fifth brought it within one, 5-4, and his RBI-grounder in the seventh made it a tie ballgame, 5-5.
With two outs and Mario Maldonado (Sr., Laredo, Texas) on third in the seventh, Gonzalez only needed a blooper to win the game but did one better, hitting his second two-RBI homer on the day that sailed into the Rattlers' bullpen.
Cody Butler (Sr., Baytown, Texas) started Game 1, tossing four innings with six strikeouts before Drew Lamont (Jr., Pinole, Calif.) took over for the win, improving to 2-1 with three innings tossed.
Game 2 saw the Rattlers take an early 3-0 lead by the second but a tough fourth inning for the Snakes had the Mustangs put up a six-spot to gain the lead, 6-3.
The Rattlers then chipped away at the deficit and regained control of the lead after scoring two runs in the fifth and sixth and three in the seventh to lead 10-6.
But the eighth had the Mustangs tie it as they put up four runs that included a three-RBI home run.
The Rattlers logged two quick outs in the ninth that surely had the Mustangs thinking extra innings were in order, but Joe Hermsen (Sr., Overland Park, Kan.) started it off with hard-hit single to left.
Gonzalez drew a walk followed by Nathan Schwertner (Jr., Huffman, Texas) being hit by a pitch to load the bases for Orton with two outs.
Orton found his pitch, singling to right center to bring in Hermsen for the Rattlers' second walk-off victory on the day.
Oscar Sepulveda (So., San Antonio) picked up the win on the mound, tossing 1 1/3 innings, picking up two key strikeouts in the ninth.
The Rattlers will look to take this momentum on the road as they take on regional contender Tarleton State for the fifth and final time this season at 4 p.m. Wednesday in Stephenville, Texas.
