Play Ball! Baseball Hosts Chaps For Three
Lubbock Christian (3-3, 2-1 LSC) at St. Mary's (4-2, 2-1 LSC)
Sunday, February 21 • 1 p.m. (Doubleheader)
Monday, February 22 • 1 p.m.
Media Information
Video Stream
Live Stats
Game Notes
Opening Tip
• St. Mary's opens the home portion of the 2021 season, hosting Lubbock Christian for a three-game series beginning on Sunday at 1 p.m. The Chaps are 3-3 overall and also 2-1 in Lone Star Conference play.
• St. Mary's is 45-20 (9 unknown) all-time in home openers. The Rattlers have won three straight and also host a 3-0 record against Lubbock Christian, winning in 1998, 1999 and 2000. The Rattlers are also 6-3 all-time in openers against current teams in the Lone Star Conference.
• The Rattlers currently lead the nation with 73 hits through the first six games. The team also ranks second in runs (61) and second in sacrifice flies (4). Individually,
Connor Schmidt leads the country with two victories and
Brandon Broughton ranks first with two sacrifice flies.
Mitchell Caskey is second in RBI (14),
Jake Mares is second in runs (12) and hits (13),
Derek Mueller is second in doubles (4) and
Ryan McGowen ranks second in sacrifice bunts (2).
• St. Mary's is currently tied for third in the Lone Star Conference standings at 4-2 with UT-Tyler. St. Edward's is 3-0 and West Texas A&M is 5-1 for the top two spots in the early rankings.
On Tap: St. Mary's will open the 2021 home portion of its season, hosting Lubbock Christian for a three-game series beginning on Sunday at 1 p.m. after the schedule was adjusted for Mother Nature.
Opponent Check-In: The Chaps are 3-3 overall and 2-1 in Lone Star Conference play. Lubbock Christian started 1-2 at the same tournament as the Rattlers, defeating UAFS, but dropping games to Central Missouri and Arkansas Tech before taking two of three from the Lions in Fort Smith.
Series History: St. Mary's is trailing 20-23 in the all-time series against Lubbock Christian, however they hold an 11-8 advantage in the series in San Antonio. Three times the two teams have met in the home open for the Rattlers and the Blue & Gold have won all three (1998, 1999, 2000).
Last Time Out: St. Mary's won two of three games at Oklahoma Christian, including sweeping the doubleheader on Friday. The Rattlers won game one 18-7 and then pulled off the thrilling 6-5 game two win in 12 innings. Junior
Jake Mares hit .667 (8-for-12) for the series, while senior
Mitchell Caskey hit .533 (8-for-15) with 10 RBI and three walks. The team hit .310 for the series with a .452 slugging percentage, recording 12 extra base hits.
What A Day: Senior DH
Mitchell Caskey tied the school record going 6-for-6 at the plate in the first game of the doubleheader on Friday at Oklahoma Christian. He added seven RBI and three runs scored in the 18-7 win. Two of his six hits were doubles. Caskey currently leads the Lone Star Conference and ranks second in NCAA Division II with 14 RBI on the season.
No Horsing Around: Junior
Jake Mares currently owns the school's career stolen-base percentage. He entered the season 26-for-28 and is 1-for-2 through six games for a 90 percent success rate (27-for-30).
Going Streaking: Four Rattlers have reached base through the first six games of the year. Both
Mauro Bustamante and
Jake Mares have hits in all six, while
Mitchell Caskey and
Fernando Zubia have reached safely. Bustamante, Mares and Zubia have also had multi-hit games in four of the six thus far.
Now Showing: Senior RHP
Zach De La Garza struck out five in Oklahoma City on Friday and is now tied for 10th on the St. Mary's career list with 236 K's. He is tied with Ryan LaFluer (2000-02). DLG also now ranks 10th in school history with 253.1 innings pitched, passing Jeff Kubenka (251, 1995-96). With seven more innings, DLG will take over ninth.
