ODESSA, Texas – A late scoring rally by the St. Mary's Baseball team came up short on Friday in the first game of the series at Texas-Permian Basin and the Rattlers fell 7-5.
Injuries and illness have hit the club hard, as Head Coach
Charlie Migl used his seventh different lineup in 15 games of 2020.
The Rattlers (6-9, 6-9 Lone Star Conference) went down 7-0, but scored two in the sixth and three in the ninth to make it a close contest against the Falcons (5-10, 5-10 Lone Star).
Leading off for the first time this season, sophomore
Ryan McGowen (San Antonio) did a great job of setting the table by getting on base all five times. He singled, walked three times and was hit by a pitch. McGowen also scored two runs in the series opener.
Senior
Johnny Hernandez (El Paso, Texas) was 2-for-3 with a run scored and senior
Ragan Forrest (Lorena, Texas) was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored. Senior
Steven Wynn (San Antonio) also drove in two and freshman
Robert Ruff (Bulverde, Texas) in his first action as a Rattler, scored a run and walked twice getting action at shortstop.
Junior
Anthony Chavez (El Paso) fell to 2-2 on the year after giving up six earned runs on 10 hits with one walk and three strikeouts. Senior
Johnny Panatex (Pflugerville, Texas) worked the final three frames and only allowed one hit while fanning three.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Falcons scored four in the first, one in the third and two in the fourth for the 7-0 edge.
In the top of the sixth, McGowen walked to lead off and Ruff – in his first collegiate at bat – also drew a walk. McGowen went to third on a throwing error by the pitcher on a failed pickoff attempt and he scored when the second baseman made the second error of the inning off the bat of Wynn. Senior
Keaton Milford (New Braunfels, Texas) singled through the right side to plate Ruff for the 7-2 tally.
Panatex came in for the sixth and retired the first six batters he faced with a pair of K's.
Hernandez was plunked by a pitch to kick off the ninth and Forrest homered to left for the second home run of his career. With two outs, McGowen walked, moved to second on a wild pitch, Ruff walked and Wynn singled past the third baseman to score McGowen for the 7-5 final.
TEAM & INDIVIDUAL PLAYER NOTES
- Steven Wynn extended his hitting streak to 11 straight games – the longest streak on the team this year.
- Ryan McGowen has been on base in 12 consecutive games for the Rattlers. He was on base in all five plate appearances on Friday afternoon.
- The home run for Ragan Forrest was his first since Feb. 2, 2019 against Arkansas Tech in Houston.
- McGowen became the fourth different Rattler to hit in the leadoff position this season. He joins sophomore Jake Mares (Fort Worth, Texas), Keaton Milford and senior Derek Mueller (Carrolton, Texas) as Rattlers to hit first in the lineup.
- The pitching allowed only one walk in the game, snapping a nine-game streak with multiple base on balls issued.
UP NEXT
The Rattlers and Falcons continue the series tomorrow with a doubleheader beginning at noon and they conclude the four game set at 1 p.m. on Sunday. St. Mary's then returns home to host Texas A&M-Kingsville at 6 p.m. on Friday, March 6.
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