SAN ANTONIO – The St. Mary's University Baseball team dropped a pair of games on Saturday at Dickson Stadium as they fell to 15
th-ranked West Texas A&M to move to 5-4 on the season.
Game One
St. Mary's starting pitcher
Anthony Chavez retired 10 of the first 11 batters he faced, holding the Buffs scoreless through the first three innings. West Texas A&M took advantage of a St. Mary's error in the top of the fourth to take a 1-0 lead. Chavez recorded all three outs via strikeout in the inning.
Jake Mares continued to swing a hot bat, driving in
Andrew Perez, who led the inning off with a walk, evening the game at one. Mares finished the game 3-for-3, extending his hitting streak to eight games.
West Texas A&M regained the lead in the sixth inning as Chavez elevated a fastball and the Buffs' pinch hitter, Kyle Moos sent it over the left field fence for a two-run homerun, giving West Texas A&M a 3-1 lead.
Jake Sims came on to pinch hit in the bottom of the sixth inning and singled home
Steven Wynn to cut the St. Mary's deficit to just one run heading into the final frame.
Derek Mueller started the bottom of the seventh inning with a single into centerfield, putting the tying run aboard. Mares singled and
Johnny Hernandez was intentionally walked to load the bases. Pat Fennell came on to pinch hit and as hit by a pitch to bring in the tying run. The Rattlers left three runners stranded, sending the game into extra innings.
The Buffs scratched three runs across in the top half of the eighth to take a 6-3 lead into the Rattlers' final at-bat. St. Mary's plated a run but left the go-ahead run on base, resulting in a 6-4 loss to the Buffs.
Chavez's outing was his best of the year as he tossed seven innings, allowing just two hits while striking out nine.
Mitchell Caskey finished the game 2-for-3.
GAME TWO
The Buffs struck early in the series-deciding contest as they plated a run in the top of the first inning off St. Mary's starter,
Dylan Bells. The Rattlers answered in the home half of the third as Caskey led off the inning with a walk and later scored on a single from
Mac Papini.
St. Mary's took the lead in the third inning when
Ryan McGowen singled up the middle and later scored on an error from the Buffs shortstop and Hernandez scored on a single from Caskey, giving the Rattlers a 3-2 lead.
West Texas A&M took the lead for good in the top of the fourth frame, clinching the series.
Jacob Koehler was strong for the Rattlers out of the bullpen once again as he threw 3.2 innings in relief and struck out nine batters.
UP NEXT
St. Mary's looks to avoid the sweep tomorrow as they square off with the Buffs at 1:00 p.m. at Dickson Stadium.
