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Scoreboard

Hernandez_Johnny_20190224BB_vs_WTAMU_G4_81
Antonio Morano Photography
10
Winner Arkansas-Fort Smith UAFS 15-12, 2-4 HC
7
St. Mary's STMU 21-12, 3-3 HC
Winner
Arkansas-Fort Smith UAFS
15-12, 2-4 HC
10
Final
7
St. Mary's STMU
21-12, 3-3 HC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Arkansas-Fort Smith UAFS 0 1 0 0 0 2 7 0 0 10 11 5
St. Mary's STMU 1 0 2 2 1 0 0 0 1 7 13 0

W: Foster Pace (2-2) L: Panatex, Johnny (1-2)

Game Recap: Baseball | | RattlerAthletics.com

Baseball sees lead slip away against Lions

By Heather Kennedy | St. Mary's Athletics Communications

SAN ANTONIO – The St. Mary's baseball team saw a 6-1 lead slip away on Saturday as the Arkansas-Fort Smith Lions scored nine runs in the sixth and seventh innings for the 10-7 win on getaway day. The Rattlers moved to 21-12 overall and evened their Heartland Conference record at 3-3.

Junior Johnny Hernandez (El Paso, Texas) was a perfect 5-for-5 at the plate with two RBIs and a run scored. He hit four singles and a double. Both junior Patrick Fennell (El Paso) and senior Mario Vela (Mission, Texas) recorded two hits each and junior Andrew Perez (El Paso) scored three runs after hitting his second home run of the year, walking once and getting hit by a pitch.

Junior Johnny Panatex (Pflugerville, Texas) moved to 1-2 on the season with the loss. He gave up three runs on three hits in the seven run frame. Sophomore Jacob Koehler (New Braunfels, Texas) threw the first six frames, also allowing three runs on four hits. He walked one and struck out six. Junior Matt Merrill (San Antonio) was on the hill the final 2 2/3 innings for the Rattlers. He gave up just one run on one hit, walking one and striking out three.

The Rattlers return to the diamond on Tuesday when they host Our Lady of the Lake for the final time at 4 p.m. The weekend series will be at Rogers State beginning on Friday with a doubleheader slated to start at 1 p.m. with the seven-inning contest.

HOW IT HAPPENED
After Koehler threw a 10-pitch first inning, Perez got the Rattlers on the board first with a solo home run over the right centerfield fence for the 1-0 lead.

The Lions tied the score in the top of the second with a home run of their own off the bat by Tremarcus Koontz.

Perez was hit by a pitch to begin the third and he scored on a double down the left field line by Hernandez to give the lead back to the Rattlers. A throwing error by the left fielder allowed Hernandez to get to third and he scored on a double to center by Fennell for the 3-1 advantage.

With one out in the fourth, junior Derek Mueller (Carrolton, Texas) singled down the right field line. With two outs, he stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Perez walked to reach for the third consecutive time and he and Mueller executed the perfect double steal. Perez took off for second and once the throw went down to second, Mueller sprinted home. Hernandez singled to left to score Perez for the 5-1 lead and knocked the starter (Andrew McGlynn) out of the game for the Lions.

Freshman Jake Mares (Fort Worth, Texas) walked to kick off the fifth and senior Colton Parrish (La Vernia, Texas) reached on a fielding error by the second baseman. The pair moved up 90 feet on a double steal. Mueller hit a ball to the second baseman, who chose to throw home, but Mares remained at third. Parrish attempted to advance from second to third – so the catcher tried to get Parrish out at second – but overthrew the base – allowing Mares to score – and giving the Rattlers the 6-1 lead.

UAFS scored two runs in the top of the sixth to cut the lead in half, 6-3 and they added seven runs in the seventh to take the 10-6 lead.
With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, junior Mitchell Caskey (Houston, Texas) hit a pinch hit home run over the right centerfield wall for the 10-7 final.

INDIVIDUAL PLAYER NOTES
  • Andrew Perez' home run in the first inning is the second of the year for the junior and the first since March 19 against Texas A&M International. It is the team's 22nd homer by eight different players.
  • Derek Mueller stole two bases in the game, bringing his season total to 14 for the year. It is the third time this season he's taken two bags in the same game. Jake Mares also swiped one so he and Mueller are tied for the team lead with 14. Freshman Ryan McGowen is also in double figures with 11 thefts on the season.
  • Johnny Hernandez stretched his season-long hitting streak to nine games with a perfect 5-for-5 day at the plate. His streak ties for the fourth-longest on the team this season. Hernandez becomes the second player to have a five hit game this year, joining Andrew Perez (at Texas A&M International, March 8). He's now reached base in 15 of 16 contests.
  • Perez has now reached base safely in 12-straight games, his second longest streak of the season behind his 14-game streak from earlier this year which is tied for the longest on the club in 2019 with Patrick Fennell. Eight different players have double digit reached base streaks this season, while two others have nine-game ones, including Hernandez' current stretch.
  • Perez has also scored at least one run in nine of the last 10 games for the Rattlers, scoring a total of 14 runs over the stretch.
  • Mueller has reached base in 14 of the last 15 games and has scored at least once in 10 of those contests.
  • Jacob Koehler struck out six, two off his season high of eight from his previous start at Newman (March 22). In his last two appearances, Koehler has just two walks and 14 strikeouts in 13 IP.
  • Jake Mares has at least one stolen base in seven of the last nine games and has 10 during that time period.
  • Mitchell Caskey hit his first home run since the season opener against Central Missouri on Feb. 1 and his first pinch hit homer of the year. It is also the team's first pinch hit home run of the year. Caskey was 0-for-3 as a pinch hitter entering the at bat.
  • Matt Merrill tied his season-high with three strikeouts, matching two other outings (Tarleton State, Feb. 3; Texas A&M-Kingsville, Feb. 16). In 5 2/3 innings pitched this week, Merrill gave up only one run on three hits with one walk and four K's.
  • Mario Vela has reached in seven of the last eight games and has stolen a base in each of the last two to bring his season total to three. Scott Short has reached in 15 of the last 16 contests.
TEAM NOTES
  • The Rattlers are now 14-4 this season when out-hitting the opposition. On Saturday, the team recorded 13 hits, compared to 11 for Fort Smith.
  • The team stole six bases in the game and stole 14 in the three-game series against UAFS, bringing the season total to 62 steals. The 62 swipes is already more than the entire 2018 (41) season and more than the 2016 (30) & 2017 (27) seasons combined. Entering the weekend, the team ranked 27th in the nation in stolen bases but should move up.
  • The Rattlers have notched double figures in hits 17 times this season after recording 13 today.
  • The 23 total bases also tied for the second-most this season, trailing only the 31 from the finale at Newman on March 22. The Rattlers also had 23 bases in the opener against Central Missouri (Feb. 1) and at Houston-Victoria (Feb. 5)
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