Softball Run Rules Both Opponents on Saturday

PORTLAND, Texas – The St. Mary's Softball team used a pair of five-inning run-rule games to stretch its winning streak to five games on Saturday at the Javelina Invitational.
 
The Rattlers (6-2) shut out Ouachita Baptist, 9-0 in the morning match, before defeating Henderson State 13-1 in the afternoon tilt.
 
St. Mary's has a rematch with Henderson State at 10 a.m. on Sunday morning and concludes the tournament with Texas A&M Invitational at 12:30 in a non-conference game.
 
OUACHITA BAPTIST RECAP
The offense exploded for seven runs in the second inning, then added one each in the third and fourth frames for the 9-0 win. Freshman Savannah Youngblood (Kingwood, Texas) limited the Tigers to just two hits to move to 2-0 on the year.
 
Freshman catcher Mine'e Padilla (San Antonio) was 2-for-2 with two RBI, while freshman Jadyn Abrego (San Antonio) was 1-for-3 with a three-run home run for her first collegiate homer. Senior Bari Christian (San Antonio) also added her first home run of the season, doing so in the fourth for the ninth run of the game.
 
Christian walked to begin the second and scored on a double to left center off the bat of senior Abigale Carney (El Paso, Texas). Senior Amber Gonzales (Austin, Texas) singled down the left field line to put runners on the corners and the pair pulled off the successful double steal for the 2-0 lead. Padilla doubled to left center to score Gonzales and force a pitching change. Senior Tiffany Licon (Austin) doubled to center to score junior Katerina McLennan (Austin), who was pinch running for Padilla.  With two outs, Ramos walked, setting up the three-run home run for Abrego, giving the Rattlers the 7-0 lead.
 
Carney got all the way to third on a fielding error by the right fielder and she scored two batters later when Padilla singled to right center and the final run came in the fourth on the solo shot by Christian.
 
Youngblood allowed two hits with two strikeouts, not walking a single batter.
 
HENDERSON STATE RECAP
The bats stayed alive for the second game of the day as the Rattlers scored 13 runs on 14 hits with two Henderson State errors. 
 
Junior Catalina Cavazos (Houston) was solid in the circle, allowing one run on seven hits with no walks and four strikeouts to improve to 2-0 on the year.
 
The Rattlers struck early – plating six in the first and three in the second before the Reddies scored their lone run in the top of the third. StMU answered with four more for the 13-1 final.
 
Carney was 3-for-3 in the game with two runs scored and three RBI coming on a home run to right-center in the second. Gonzales was 2-for-2 with two RBI and a run scored. Abrego added a 2-for-3 game and seven others tallied one hit each as Head Coach Donna Fields made substitutions in eight of the nine spots.
 
Senior Jayme Johns (Elgin, Texas) walked with one out in the first and moved up on a single through the right side by freshman Lauren Ramos (Marion, Texas). A single up the middle by Abrego loaded the bases. Christian singled to second, which scored a pair. Carney again loaded the bags with a single to left and a gap shot to left center by Gonzales scored two more. Gonzales and Carney again pulled off the double steal and they both scored on a single by Licon that shot through the right side.
 
With a runner on third and two outs in the second, Christian walked and stole second base. Carney blasted the team's second three-run home run of the day for three more runs on the 9-0 lead.
 
After the Reddies scored one in the top of the frame, senior Victoria Aldridge (Elgin) bunted for a single. Freshman Cassidy Mageors (Freeport, Texas) walked and both moved up on an error by the third baseman off the bat of sophomore Ericka Gomez (Stafford, Texas). With one out, Christian reached on a fielder's choice that erased Gomez, but two runs scored. Carney singled to left – again forcing HSU to go to the bullpen. Junior Reyna Herrera (San Antonio) singled between the third baseman and short stop to score Christian and freshman Jamison Holder (Magnolia, Texas) reached on a fielder's choice that allowed the 13th run.