Softball Splits First Lone Star Conference Series
LAREDO, Texas – It has been a season of splits thus far for the St. Mary's Softball team and today was no different as the Rattlers split their first Lone Star Conference doubleheader of the season with Texas A&M International University.
Game one recap
It was a pitcher's duel in the first game of the day as both starting pitchers tossed complete games. St. Mary's starter
Sara Robertson earned the first win of her career as the freshman allowed just four hits and struck out three Dustdevil batters.
The first nine batters of the game were retired in order but in the home half of the second, the Dustdevils put their first two runners on but Robertson erased them as she induced a 4-6-3 double play to end the threat.
Bari Christian was the first Rattler baserunner to reach as she singled to centerfield with two outs in the inning.
Abigale Carney singled to put runners at first and second with two outs, but the Rattlers came up empty, keeping the game scoreless heading to the bottom of the fourth.
Texas A&M had their best scoring chance in the game in the bottom of the fifth, loading the bases with nobody out. Robertson got a huge strikeout and a 5-2-3 double play, leaving two runners on base.
With momentum in favor of the Rattlers,
Tiffany Licon led off the sixth inning with a single to centerfield.
Jayme Johns reached on an error by the Dustdevil defense, putting runners at first and second with no outs.
Reba Reyes loaded the bases with a single to the pitcher. Christian picked up an RBI on a bases loaded walk to score Licon, making it 1-0 for the Rattlers.
Robertson retired the side in the sixth and pitched around a one-out single in the seventh to secure the Rattlers fifth victory of the season.
Licon had two of the Rattlers' five hits in the win.
Game two recap
In opposite fashion, the second game featured 15 hits and 13 total runs.
Texas A&M International struck early as Morgan Chavarria led off the home half of the first with a solo blast to left centerfield. Later in the inning, the Dustdevils added another run on an RBI single to make it 2-0 after one complete.
St. Mary's got a run back in the top of the second when
Amber Gonzales singled to center field to score
Alex Moreno who reached on a walk earlier in the frame.
Johns led off the Rattlers part of the third inning with a walk and moved up on a Reyes single. Both Johns and Reyes advanced 60 feet when Christian walked, loading the bases for Carney. Johns scored on a fielder's choice and Reyes scored after an errant throw by the Dustdevils, giving St. Mary's a 3-2 lead.
A two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth was part of a three-run inning, giving Texas A&M International the lead back.
Carney launched her second home run of the year over the right field fence in the fifth frame to bring the Rattlers within one. The Dustdevils plated two in the home half of the fifth to extend their lead to 7-4 after five complete innings.
Lauren Garcia led off the sixth inning for the Rattlers and reached via an error by the Dustdevils. Garcia advanced to second on the error. With one out, Johns singled to centerfield to score Garcia. With Johns at first, Reyes singled, putting runners at first and second with one out and Christian coming to bat. Christian reached on a fielder's choice to the shortstop, Reyes was out at second on the play. Carney picked up her third RBI of the night with a single to first base, scoring Johns to make it a one-run game.
St. Mary's would not get any closer as they were retired in order in their final at-bat.
Carney finished the game 3-for-4 with three RBI. Reyes had two hits while Johns drew two walks and scored two runs.
The Rattlers will return to action on Sunday as they travel to Kingsville to take on the Javelinas of Texas A&M-Kingsville. Watch live on the
Lone Star Conference Network.
