Gonzales' Four Hits Lead Softball in Final Day of Dixie Classic

ST. GEORGE, Utah – Big innings hurt the St. Mary's Softball team on Saturday as it dropped a pair of contests at the Dixie State Classic, falling 15-0 to Colorado Mesa and 8-6 to Western Washington.

The Rattlers (2-8) almost pulled off the comeback victory against Western Washington (4-5) in the nightcap, scoring five runs in the fifth, but couldn't quite get over the hump.

Both games used a pitch-by-committee outlook, as three threw in game one against the Mavericks (3-1) and five pitched in game two. Senior Staci Johns (Elgin, Texas) took the loss in both contests, falling to 1-3 overall.

Junior Amber Gonzales (Austin, Texas) continued to pace the offense, going 4-for-6 on the day with two doubles and two of the six runs scored. Sophomore Jayme Johns (Elgin) was 3-for-7  with an RBI and a run scored over the twinbill and junior Abigail Carney (El Paso, Texas) hit a home run en route to a 2-for-3 outing against WWU with three of the team's four RBIs on the day.

GAME ONE RECAP
Colorado  Mesa scored four in the third and one in the fourth before exploding for 10 runs in the sixth, scoring the 15 runs on 16 hits with two StMU errors. The Rattlers amassed five hits over six innings, but couldn't string anything together.

Gonzales went 2-for-3 with a double and freshman Alyssa Flores (San Antonio) drew two walks in her two plate appearances.

GAME TWO RECAP
The Vikings jumped out to the 4-0 lead in the first frame. The Rattlers got one run back in the top of the second. Freshman Isabella Saldivar singled up the middle to kick things off, but she was erased on a fielder's choice off the bat of Gonzales. Junior Juliana Cerda (San Antonio) reached on a fielding error to put runners on first and second. Sophomore Tiffany Licon (Austin) singled between the short stop and third baseman to load the bases and J. Johns plated Gonzales with a single back to the pitcher.

WWU scored three more in the bottom of the third and one in the fourth for the 8-1 advantage. In the top of the fifth, the Rattlers rallied for five runs to close within two, 8-6, but Anna Kasner came in and shut down any more chances of a comeback.

With one out, J. Johns bunted for a single, then with two outs senior Taylor Germain (San Antonio) drew a walk and Carney blasted a home run to left for three runs. Saldivar followed with a single to centerfield and Gonzales singled to right. Both scored on a fielding error by the right fielder off the bat of junior Alex Moreno (San Antonio). Moreno was thrown out trying to get to third base to end the rally.

UP NEXT
The Rattlers travel next weekend to the Cactus Classic in Tucson, Ariz., to play contests against Colorado Mesa and Hawai'i Hilo on Friday, Dixie State and Simon Fraser on Saturday and Cal Penn on Sunday. First pitch in the rematch against the Mavericks is slated for 3 p.m.