SAN ANTONIO – Both games of the doubleheader were filled with tense and exciting moments as the St. Mary's and Texas A&M-Kingsville Baseball teams split the games. The Rattlers won game one 8-6 in come-from-behind fashion, while the Javelinas took game two 8-3.
With the split the Rattlers move to 11-10 on the year, while A&M-Kingsville is now 12-9. The game one victory stretched the Rattlers winning streak to five straight before the Javelinas snapped it with the win in game two.
The comeback kids trailed 5-1 after five innings in game one and scored three in the fifth and four in the sixth. It is the seventh time this season the Rattlers have won a game after trailing or being tied in the fifth inning or later. The team tried in game two but fell short, scoring a pair in the sixth and leaving the bases loaded in the seventh.
The top four spots in the batting order each got on base at least once in both games, with sophomore
Ryan McGowen (San Antonio) going 2-for-7 with a walk and three runs scored, sophomore
Jake Mares (Fort Worth, Texas) going 3-for-6 with four runs, three RBIs, a walk and a hit by pitch, senior
Keaton Milford (New Braunfels, Texas) going 2-for-5 with two walks, one run and an RBI and senior
Steven Wynn (San Antonio) going 2-for-6 with four RBIs.
Senior
Johnny Panatex (Pflugerville, Texas) won his first game of the season, while sophomore
Connor Schmidt (Devine, Texas) earned his first save and senior
Mason Minister (San Antonio) fell to 1-1 on the year in game two.
GAME ONE RECAP
Panatex picked up his first victory of the season with two innings of relief work. He allowed one run on two hits, walking two and fanning two after junior
Anthony Chavez (El Paso) pitched the first 4.1 innings. Chavez gave up three earned runs (five total) on eight hits, walking two and striking out five in a no decision.
Connor Schmidt faced one batter in earning his second save of the year, getting a 5-3 double play to preserve the 8-6 win.
Mares was 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs, while senior
Derek Mueller (Carrolton, Texas) was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored. Eight of the nine batters reached base at least once in the win.
The Javelinas scored two runs on two hits with an StMU error in the top of the first. Two more singles and a sacrifice fly in the second inning gave A&M Kingsville its third run.
Junior
Fernando Zubia (El Paso) singled up the middle to lead off the second and was moved to second on a groundout by fellow El Paso native,
Andrew Perez. Another good defensive play by the Javelinas resulted in a grounout to first by senior
Ragan Forrest (Lorena, Texas), which advanced Zubia 90 feet. Mueller hit a soft liner to right-center to plate Zubia for the Rattlers first run of the day.
Kingsville got the run back in the top of the third on three singles and a pair of stolen bases, but Mueller made a great diving catch in centerfield to keep runners on the corners and help Chavez out of the jam.
The Javelinas scored one more in the fifth after a passed ball on a strikeout came around to score on a sacrifice fly to left.
McGowen tripled off the fence in right field to kick off the bottom of the fifth and he scored on a line drive single to right by Mares. Milford singled through the right side and the pair moved up on a wild pitch. Wynn grounded out to third, allowing Mares to score. As the bells of St. Mary's were ringing, Milford moved up 90 feet on another wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly to right by senior
Johnny Hernandez (El Paso) to bring the Rattlers within one, 5-4.
Perez blasted a line drive to third and Forrest laid down a terrific sacrifice bunt to move Perez up 90 feet. Mueller hit a flare to shallow center for his second single of the contest and knotted the score at 5-5, knocking the Javelinas starting pitcher out of the game. McGowen walked and Mares singled to right to score Mueller. Before the defense could call time, Mares scampered down to second and A&M Kingsville went to the bullpen again. McGowen scored and Mares moved to third on a wild pitch and Milford drew a walk to put runners at the corners. Milford went to second on a pitch that bounced halfway back to the mound and Mares scored on a groundout to second by Wynn for the 8-5 lead.
Panatex walked a batter and gave up back-to-back singles with one out as the Javelinas got one run back, but Schmidt came in and got the nine-hole hitter to ground into a 5-3 game ending double play.
GAME TWO RECAP
The Rattlers scored three runs on four hits, while the Javelinas scored eight on eight hits with two StMU miscues.
Mares scored two of the three runs for the Gold & Blue, getting on base via a walk and hit-by-pitch.
Minister pitched 5.1 frames, giving up eight runs on seven hits with two walks and five strikeouts to move to 1-1 on the year. Schmidt worked the next 0.2 innings, giving up one hit, while senior
Tyler Dick (San Antonio) threw the final inning with a walk.
The Javelinas again jumped out early with a solo home run down the right field line with two outs in the first.
With one out in the bottom of the first, Mares hit what looked like a routine play to shortstop, but he bobbled the ball and had no chance to throw out his speedy counterpart. Mares went to third on a single between short and third off the bat of Milford and scored on a sacrifice fly to right center by Wynn to knot the score at 1-1.
With two outs in the third a two-run home run by A&M Kingsville gave them the 3-1 advantage and on the next batter, Hernandez robbed Seth Spinn of a hit with a leaping grab on a line drive headed to right field. A double, a pair of walks and two home runs increased the Javelinas lead to 8-1 in the sixth.
McGowen doubled over the right fielder's head and Mares was hit by a pitch. The pair moved up 90 feet on a wild pitch and McGowen scored on a sacrifice fly to center by Milford. Wynn singled up the middle to plate Mares for the 8-3 tally.
With one out in the bottom of the seventh,
Shawn Tober (San Antonio) – pinch hitting for junior
Scott Short (Ingram, Texas) – reached on a fielding error by the short stop and Mueller drew a walk. With two outs, the pair moved up on a wild pitch and Mares walked to load the bases and knock starting pitcher out of the contest, but the Rattlers were unable to score more and fell, 8-3.
TEAM & INDIVIDUAL PLAYER NOTES
- In game two, senior Andrew Perez tied his career high with six putouts. He tallied three of those in the first two innings as the wind was gusting out to right-center.
- Ryan McGowen reached base in both games, stretching his reached base streak to 18 games. Ragan Forrest is second on the team with an eight game streak.
- Forrest also has the team's longest current hitting streak at six games, while Keaton Milford is second with a four-game stretch.
- Anthony Chavez struck out five batters, giving him at least five K's in four of his six starts this season. In 32.1 innings, Chavez has fanned 32 and walked only seven.
- The Rattlers have come from behind in seven games this season where they have been tied or trailed in the fifth inning. The team is out-scoring opponents 24-6 in the eighth, ninth and extra innings in 2020. The team is also out-scoring the opposition 21-12 in the seventh frame.
UP NEXT
The Rattlers and Javelinas conclude the four-game series on Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. The Gold & Blue return to the road the following weekend with a four-game series at Angelo State beginning Friday at 6:30 p.m.
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