Softball Wins in Walkoff Fashion

SAN ANTONIO – When offered an opportunity, freshman Kaylynne Ruiz jumped at it, hitting a walkoff home run for the St. Mary's Softball team in just her 13th at bat of the season to give the Rattlers the season sweep over Texas A&M International on Saturday afternoon.
 
The game was tied at 3-3 entering the bottom of the seventh and Ruiz, a freshman from Eagle Pass, Texas and she took a 2-1 pitch over the left centerfield fence for the team's 18th win of the season (18-3).
 
Ruiz was 2-for-3 on the day with a walk, run scored an RBI and was the only Rattler with a multi-hit game as they scored four runs on seven hits with seven walks.
 
Sophomore Sara Robertson (Lorena, Texas) pitched a solid four innings, allowing one unearned run on four hits with one walk and one strikeout. Freshman Savannah Youngblood (Kingwood, Texas) threw the final three frames, allowing two runs on six hits to improve to 7-1 on the year.
 
With two outs in the first, senior Jayme Johns (Elgin, Texas) blistered a single through the right side, moved to third on a single down the right field line by Ruiz and scored after senior Bari Christian (San Antonio) and freshman Lauryn Ramos (Marion, Texas) drew back-to-back walks.
 
The Dust Devils took advantage of two errors by the Rattlers in the top of the fourth to tie the score at 1-1.
 
Senior Abigale Carney (El Paso, Texas) gave the lead back to the Rattlers immediately, smashing a shot that hit the batters eye in centerfield, 2-1
 
In the top of the fifth, Texas A&M International scored two runs on four hits to take the lead back, 3-2.
 
Senior Victoria Aldridge (Elgin) drew a walk to begin things in the fifth and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Johns. Ruiz walked and junior Katerina McLennan (Austin) pinch ran for her, scoring on a single to right center by senior Amber Gonzales (Austin) to knot the score at 3-3.
 
The Rattlers won their eighth-straight game and host Texas A&M Kingsville in Sunday for a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.