Late Runs Not Enough for Baseball in Finale

SAN ANTONIO – Once again, the St. Mary's Baseball team was able to push some runs across late, but they couldn't overcome the 10-0 lead by Texas A&M Kingsville and fell 10-4 in the series finale.
 
Seniors Jake Mares (Fort Worth, Texas) and Shawn Tober (San Antonio), along with sophomore Jake Elizondo (San Antonio) all had two hits and scored one run each as the Rattlers (7-15, 5-15 Lone Star Conference) and Javelinas (16-6, 14-6 Lone Star) split the four game set.
 
The Rattlers used a pitch-by-committee approach to the finale, using six different arms. Senior John Curtis (Athens, Tenn.) started and took the loss (0-1) after allowing two runs on three hits with two walks and one strikeout. 
 
In the eighth, Tober reached on an error by the shortstop and he moved to third on a single to right center by Mares. Senior Ryan McGowen (San Antonio) singled through the right side to plate the first run for the game for the Rattlers and junior Clay Bradford (Atoscocita, Texas) singled to right for the second run. Sophomore Devin Goins (San Antonio) grounded into a fielder's choise, allowing McGowen to score and bring the score to 10-3.
 
Elizondo singled through the left side and sophomore Easton Parrish (La Vernia, Texas) walked. Tober singled to right center and hustled to second on the throw home, Parrish moved to third and Elizondo scored from second for the 10-4 final.
 
The Rattlers begin a four-game series at St. Edward's on Friday at 2 p.m. The Hilltoppers recently took a 3-1 series at Oklahoma Christian and are 16-7 on the season.