AUSTIN, Texas – Errors proved costly for the St. Mary's Baseball team in the series opener at St. Edward's on Friday afternoon as they fell 11-1 in seven innings.
The Rattlers (6-5, 6-5 Lone Star Conference) committed five errors as the Hilltoppers (4-7, 4-7 Lone Star) scored their 11 runs on seven hits. St. Mary's scored first in the second inning, however St. Ed's scored the final 11 of the game.
Senior
Steven Wynn (San Antonio) continued to play well, getting two of the team's three hits on the day, while senior
Derek Mueller (Carrolton, Texas) had the other. Wynn also scored the lone run, while senior
Ragan Forrest (Lorena, Texas) posted the RBI and had two of the squad's three walks.
Junior
Anthony Chavez (El Paso, Texas) fell to 2-1 on the year after pitching five innings, giving up four earned runs (eight total) on six hits with one walk and six strikeouts. Senior
Johnny Panatex (Pflugerville, Texas) threw the final 1.2 innings with one walk and one strikeout, allowing no earned runs but three total.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Rattlers broke onto the scoreboard first in the top of the second inning. Wynn hit a grounder down the left field line and moved to second on a fielding error by the first baseman on a pick-off attempt. Zubia walked on four straight pitches and the pair moved up 90 feet on a sacrifice bunt by Perez. Forrest grounded out to the second baseman, but Wynn scored for the RBI and the 1-0 lead.
The Hilltoppers tied the score in the bottom of the third on a double, wild pitch, walk and a fielder's choice.
In the fourth, St. Ed's added two runs on two hits and two Rattler errors and they plated five runs on two hits and two hit batters in the bottom of the sixth for the 8-1 advantage. In the seventh thanks in part to two StMU errors, the Hilltoppers plated three runs for the 11-1 final.
TEAM & INDIVIDUAL PLAYER NOTES
- With his two hits, Steven Wynn increased his season batting average to .565 (13-for-23). He is tied for the team lead with 10 runs scored and tied for second on the club with two doubles.
- The five errors are the most in a game this season for the Rattlers. In three others contests the team has committed three miscues.
- Friday was just the second time all year the Rattlers did not attempt to steal a base (Game 1 vs West Texas A&M).
- The Rattlers defense turned their fourth double play of the year with a 4-6-3 in the bottom of the second.
- Sophomore Ryan McGowan (San Antonio) was hit by a pitch in the fifth inning to stretch his reached base streak to 11 games – every contest of the 2020 season.
UP NEXT
The Rattlers and Hilltoppers continue the Battle of the Saints on Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at 12:30 p.m. and conclude the series on Sunday in Austin. St. Mary's remains on the road the following weekend for a four-game series at Texas-Permian Basin before returning home to host Texas A&M-Kingsville March 6-8.
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