All Three Phases of Softball's Game On Point in 7-1 Win

PORTLAND, Texas – Eight of the nine spots in the batting order reached base at least once as the St. Mary's Softball team won its third-straight game with a 7-1 victory over Hillsdale on Friday afternoon.
 
The Rattlers (4-2) never trailed in the game, giving up only a solo home run to the Chargers (0-1) in the seventh inning to kick off the Javelina Invitational.
 
Freshman Mine'e Padilla (San Antonio) singled up the middle to lead off the third inning. Senior Rebekah Hubacek (Bryan, Texas) pinch ran for the catcher and moved to second on a walk by senior Victoria Aldridge (Elgin, Texas). A single to right field by senior Jayme Johns (Elgin) loaded the bases and freshman Lauryn Ramos (Marion, Texas) drew a walk for the first run of the day.
 
The Rattlers added two runs each in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings for their seven total.
 
With one out in the fourth, senior Amber Gonzales (Austin) walked and Padilla tried to sacrifice her to second, but a throwing error by the pitcher and a second throwing erro by the right fielder allowed Gonzales to cross home plate. Senior Tiffany Licon (Austin) singled to center to put runners on the corners and an Aldridge single to right field allowed Padilla to score.
 
Freshman Kaylynne Ruiz (Eagle Pass, Texas) singled up the middle with one out to kick things off in the fifth. Fellow freshman Cassidy Mageors (Freeport, Texas) pinch ran for her and scampered to second on a single to left off the bat of senior Abigale Carney (El Paso, Texas). With two outs, the pair pulled off the double steal and Padilla walked to load the bases. A fielding error by the first baseman on a shot by Licon had two runs scoring for the 5-0 advantage.
 
Johns laid down a bunt down the third baseline for a single to begin the sixth. Ramos single to second and the duo pulled off the second double steal of the day for the Rattlers. With one out, Mageors singled to left to score both. Hillsdale got a pinch-hit solo home run by Jenna Cantal in the seventh for the lone run.
 
Johns was 3-for-4 to lead the offense, while Aldridge was 2-for-2 with a pair of walks. Freshman Jadyn Abrego (San Antonio) evened her season record at 2-2 with the win in the circle. She pitched 6.1 innings with one run on six hits with two walks and six strikeouts. Junior Catalina Cavazos (Houston) struck out both batters she faced in the seventh.
 
The Rattlers have four games remaining in the Javelina Invitational, playing both Ouachita Baptist (10 a.m.) and Henderson State (3 p.m.) on Saturday and closing out the tournament on Sunday with Henderson State (10 a.m.) and Texas A&M International (12:30 p.m.).
 
INDIVIDUAL PLAYER & TEAM NOTES

• Victoria Aldridge has a hit in all six games during 2022, while Jayme Johns has reached base safely in the last five. Aldridge closed the 2021 season reaching base safely in 19 of the final 20.
• Catalina Cavazos has at least two strikeouts in all four of her appearances and has fanned 14 in 9.2 innings with just two walks.
• Jadyn Abrego struck out a career-high six batters on Friday afternoon. She has multiple strikeouts in all four of her starts for 16 on the season.
• The Rattlers are now 6-for-7 in stolen bases after swiping four against the Chargers. 
• For the third-straight game, the Rattlers did not commit any errors in the field. StMU has a fielding percentage of 98.2 through the first six games of the season.