Baseball Pulls Off Upset Win over No. 3 Central Missouri

HOUSTON – For the second time in four years, the St. Mary's Baseball team has pulled off an early season upset over Central Missouri inside Minute Maid Park.
 
In 2019, the Mules were ranked No. 20 and the Rattlers won 12-5, while this season, UCM (2-1) is ranked No. 3 and the Rattlers (2-3) pulled off the 9-5 upset.
 
The Rattlers struck early, scoring six in the first and added one run each in the third, sixth and eighth innings. The Mules scored two each in the first and fourth and one in the fifth.
 
Senior right fielder Ryan McGowen (San Antonio) was 2-for-3 with two doubles, two RBI, two walks, a stolen base and a run scored. Senior Jake Mares (Fort Worth, Texas) scored all three times he reached base, going 1-for-3 with two walks and he also swiped a bag.
 
Senior right-hander Steven Medrano (El Paso, Texas) got a no decision on the hill for the Rattlers. He allowed four runs on five hits with three walks and two strikeouts through four innings of work. Junior Josh Buske (San Antonio) won his first game of the year, throwing the next four innings. He surrendered just one run on one hit with one walk and four strikeouts. Senior Connor Schmidt (Devine, Texas) pitched the ninth inning in a non-save opportunity, striking out two of the three batters he faced.
 
The Rattlers close out the Houston Winter Invitational with a game against Arkansas Tech on Sunday at 5 p.m. The #19 Wonder Boys defeated Maryville 7-6 earlier on Saturday to improve to 4-0 on the year.
 
INDIVIDUAL PLAYER & TEAM NOTES

• In 2021, the Rattlers were 0-11 against teams ranked in the top 10 in the NCBWA Poll. The last win over a ranked opponent came on Feb. 16, 2020 when the Rattlers needed 10 innings for a 9-8 win over #15 West Texas A&M. The last win over a top-five team came in the season finale of 2019, a 4-2 at #4 Lubbock Christian.
• In the two wins, Ryan McGowen is 5-for-7 with four doubles, four runs scored and four RBI.
• Central Missouri used seven different pitchers trying to stop the Rattlers offense. None of the seven went longer than 2.2 innings.
• In the three losses, the Rattlers drew just 13 (4.25/game) walks, while in the two wins they have been more patient at the plate, drawing 17 (8.5/gm) base on balls.
• This is the seventh meeting between Central Missouri and St. Mary's where the Mules have been ranked in the top five in the nation and the Rattlers are now 3-4 in those games -- and one of the wins was the 2001 national championship game -- while two of the four losses were by one run. The Rattlers are 5-6 all-time against UCM.