Baseball Wins Series With DH Sweep Over Hilltoppers

AUSTIN, Texas – It was a thrilling Saturday at the ballpark for the St. Mary's Rattlers as they swept their second-straight doubleheader, defeating rival St. Edward's 18-8 in seven innings and 6-5 in nine innings.
 
The Rattlers improved to 10-15 on the season and 8-15 in Lone Star Conference play with the sweep and will have a chance to sweep their first series of the year on Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
 
In the first game, StMU scored a season-high 18 runs and the nine-run third inning is the most scored in a single frame this season and the most since the Rattlers scored 10 in the first inning against Eastern New Mexico on April 2, 2021.
 
GAME ONE RECAP
The Rattlers scored 18 runs on 15 hits and were aided by two Hilltopper errors. Sophomore Clay Bradford (Atoscocita, Texas) was 3-for-5 with four RBI and three runs scored, while sophomore Devin Goins (San Antonio) was 2-for-4, a grand slam and a career-high six RBI. Senior Ryan McGowen (San Antonio) was 3-for-5. All nine spots in the batting order scored at least one run and reached base at least three times.
 
Senior Steven Medrano (El Paso, Texas) won his second-straight outing, allowing two runs on eight hits with two walks and three strikeouts in five innings. Sophomore Brett Brown (Sinton, Texas) allowed two runs on three hits with a strikeout in one inning, while sophomores Josh Malone (New Braunfels, Texas) and Justin Ortega (San Antonio) pitched the final frame, with Ortega striking out the only batter he faced.
 
With one out in the top of the first inning, Bradford doubled to center and junior Rudy Solis (El Paso) and junior Brandon Broughton (Corpus Christi, Texas) both walked to load the bases. Goins flied out to centerfield for a sacrifice fly, plating Bradford for the 1-0 lead.
 
The Rattlers kept things going in the second as with one out, senior Shawn Tober (San Antonio) singled to left and scampered all the way to third base on a failed pick-off attempt when the pitcher overthrew first. Sophomore Easton Parrish (La Vernia, Texas) was hit by a pitch to put runners at the corners and he and Tober pulled off the double steal. Senior Jake Mares (Fort Worth, Texas) walked and Bradford hit his second double of the day, scoring Parrish for the 3-0 advantage.
 
Fourteen Rattlers went to the plate in the third frame and sophomore Jake Elizondo (San Antonio), Tober, Bradford and Broughton all doubled, helping StMU extend the advantage to 12-0.
 
The Hilltoppers got two back in the fourth, but the Rattlers went back to work in the sixth, scoring six more. SEU pitchers hit three-straight batters to start the inning and senior Brian Juarez (Corpus Christi) made them pay with a pinch-hit grand slam.
 
SEU attempted a rally, scoring four in the bottom of the seventh, but Ortega came in and struck out the final batter for the 18-8 win.
 
GAME TWO RECAP
Junior Josh Buske (San Antonio) received a no decision as the defending Lone Star Conference Pitcher of the Week. He allowed five runs on four hits with five walks and three strike outs. Senior Adrian Gonzales (Pasadena, Texas) held the Hilltoppers off the scoreboard, giving up just one hit with two walks and two strikeouts in three innings. Sophomore Andrew Girod (San Antonio) evened his season record at 1-1 with the win. In two innings, he surrendered only one hit, fanning four – including the final out. 
 
Mares paced the offense, going 3-for-5 with two runs scored – the first and winning run of the night. Solis was 2-for-4 with three RBI
 
St. Edward's took the early 2-0 lead, plating two in the first. The Rattlers took the lead with three in the third. With one out, Parrish walked, Mares singled to left and both Bradford and Solis walked to push one across. With two outs, all three moved up 90 feet on a wild pitch and Bradford scored on an error by the pitcher for the 3-2 score.
 
In the bottom of the fourth, the Hilltoppers scored three to regain the lead, 5-3. The Rattlers again immediately answered. Parrish again started things off, drawing a walk and he stole second. With two outs, Solis singled and Parrish scored from second. Solis stole second and moved to third on an interference call by the second baseman. Broughton doubled for the second run of the inning and the 5-5 tie.
 
Neither team was able to score until the top of the ninth. With one out, Mares singled to right center and scored on a double by Solis.