Softball Splits For Second-Straight Day

CONROE, Texas – For the second-straight day at the Arkansas Tech Winter Invitational, the St. Mary's Softball team split a pair of games, losing 5-1 to Rogers State before coming from behind to defeat #20 Central Oklahoma, 9-8, in eight innings.
 
The Rattlers (2-2) will close out the annual tournament with a 9 a.m. clash against Southern Nazarene on Monday.
 
ROGERS STATE RECAP
The Hillcats scored the first five runs of the game with one in the third, two in the fourth and two in the fifth before a double off the bat of senior Jayme Johns (Elgin, Texas) plated senior Amber Gonzales (Austin, Texas) for the lone run of the game. 
 
Freshman Jadyn Abrego (San Antonio) fell to 0-2 after allowing three earned runs on seven hits with one walk and three strikeouts through the first four innings. Sophomore Sara Robertson (Lorena, Texas) worked three scoreless innings in relief, giving up just one hit and one walk.
 
Senior Victoria Aldridge (Elgin) had two of the team's five hits, but was stranded on the base paths twice. Johns was also on base twice, adding a walk to her double. 
 
Rogers State is receiving votes in the preseason NFCA Coaches Poll.
 
CENTRAL OKLAHOMA RECAP
Senior Bari Christian (San Antonio) legged out an infield single to start things in the second and moved to second when, with one out, freshman Kaylynne Ruiz (Eagle Pass, Texas) was hit by a pitch. Gonzales advanced them both a base with a groundout and the pair scored on a single to right by freshman Mine'e Padilla (San Antonio) to give the Rattlers a 2-0 lead.
 
The No. 20 Bronchos answered with one in the second and three in the third for the 4-2 advantage. In the top of the fourth, senior Abigale Carney (El Paso, Texas) kicked things off with a single to third base. Ruiz walked and Gonzales singled to centerfield to load the bases. Padilla followed with her second single for one run and the 4-3 score.
 
UCO plated four in the bottom of the fourth to stretch the lead to five, 8-3. Freshman Lauren Ramos (Marion, Texas) doubled to right center and scored one batter later when Christian singled to right. Christian scampered to second on the throw home, allowing her to score on a single to left off the bat of Carney. With two outs, Gonzales walked, forcing UCO to go to the bullpen. Padilla kept up a great game, doubling to right center and a single up the middle by senior Tiffany Licon (Austin) put runners on the corners. Aldridge walked and Johns singled up the middle to score two to knot the score at 8-8.
 
Neither team was able to score any runs in regulation, so using the international scoring rules beginning in the eighth inning, a runner was placed on second base. Head Coach Donna Fields went to the speedy Ericka Gomez (Stafford, Texas) as a pinch runner. With two outs, Johns singled to left and Gomez sprinted home for the ninth run and the win.
The Rattlers used four pitchers in the game. Freshman Savannah Youngblood (Kingwood, Texas) worked the first 2.2 innings in a no decision. Robertson and freshman Madeline Bloom (Poway, Calif.) each threw 0.2 innings each and junior Catalina Cavazos (Houston) pitched the final four innings, striking out six while allowing just two hits to win her first game for the Gold & Blue.