ST GEORGE, Utah – The St. Mary's Softball team dropped a pair of games on Friday at the Dixie State Courtyard Classic, losing game one of the split doubleheader 11-5 to Central Washington, and game two, 5-3 to the host, Dixie State University.
GAME ONE
The Rattlers fell behind 1-0 in the top of the first inning but responded in the bottom half as
Jayme Johns,
Victoria Aldridge, and
Taylor Germain loaded the bases with no outs.
Alyssa Flores singled to the pitcher, scoring Johns to even the game at one.
Central Washington scored eight runs over the next four innings to take an 8-1 lead but St. Mary's didn't go away easily. In the bottom of the fifth, Flores singled up the middle, scoring pinch runner
Aracelli Sanchez and Germain to take in an 8-3 contest.
The Rattlers picked up two more runs in the bottom of the sixth frame as
Tiffany Licon singled, scoring
Katerina McLennan, after McLennan led the inning off with a triple.
Jayme Johns reached on a single, eventually scoring on a double by Germain.
St. Mary's was unable to get anything going in the home half of the seventh inning.
Johns finished the game 3-for-4 while Flores and Licon each finished with two hits.
Freshman
Isabella Saldivar made her first appearance in the circle for the Rattlers, tossing two inning and allowing two hits while striking out two.
GAME TWO
Jayme Johns continued to swing a hot bat in game two against Dixie State as she singled in her first two at bats. In the third inning, Johns advanced to second and would score on a Germain double, cutting the St. Mary's deficit in half at 2-1.
The Rattlers plated another run in the fifth as once again, Germain picked up an RBI scoring Johns who reached on her third single of the game and sixth hit of the day. The run made it a 5-2 contest with two innings left to play.
Germain started a two-out rally in the top of the seventh inning with a single down the left field line. Flores singled to second base, bringing the tying run to the plate for the Rattlers.
Bari Christian reached on an error by the Dixie State shortstop, loading the bases for
Katerina McLennan. McLennan put the ball in play, lining out to the second baseman to end the Rattlers threat and the game.
Johns went 3-for-4 for the second straight game while Germain picked up two hits and two RBI, giving her three hits and three RBI for the day.
Staci Johns tossed two innings in relief, allowing no runs on two hits and striking out five batters.
UP NEXT
The Rattlers will wrap up the Dixie State Courtyard Classic today as they take on Colorado Mesa at 11:00 a.m. and Western Washington at 1:30 p.m.
