Baseball Celebrates 2001 Championship Team and Coach Migl; Falls to UTT

SAN ANTONIO – The scoreboard at the end of the evening didn't live up to the pre-game festivities on the field as the St. Mary's Baseball Team suffered a 9-2 setback against UT Tyler on Friday evening.
 
On a night where the 2001 National Championship Team was celebrated and former head coach Charlie Migl's jersey (#7) was retired, the Rattlers (18-25, 16-25 Lone Star) outhit the Patriots 10-9 but stranded 10 runners on base.
 
The top half of the lineup did the most damage as the 2-4 hitters tallied seven of the 10 hits, with sophomore Jake Elizondo (San Antonio) recording three and juniors Clay Bradford (Atoscocita, Texas) and Brandon Broughton (Corpus Christi, Texas) each getting two. Broughton also had both of the team's RBIs, blasting a solo home run to left in the second and driving in Elizondo in the third with a single past a diving third baseman.
 
Broughton used the influence of the 2001 team to his benefit, working in the batting cages before the game with Jesse Gutierrez – who hit 28 home runs to lead the Rattlers during the national title run. Gutierrez homered in his first at bat of the season, his first at bat at home, his last at bat at home in the NCAA Regionals against Sonoma State and his last at bat of the NCAA title game against Central Missouri.
 
A total of 17 members of the 2001 team returned for the festivities and Migl gave a heartfelt speech to the crowd of over 300, thanking everyone for a wonderful 40 years with the Rattlers and he threw out the first pitch to thunderous applause.
 
Junior Steven Medrano (El Paso, Texas) was credited with the loss on the mound. He gave up three earned runs on six hits with three walks and three strikeouts, evening his season record at 4-4. Both senior Anthony Chavez (El Paso) and senior John Curtis (Athens, Tenn.) worked in relief and Curtis retired all three batters he faced in the ninth.
 
The Rattlers and Patriots return to the diamond for a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 2 p.m. and conclude the series on Sunday at 1 p.m. Sunday will be Senior Day for the Rattlers with the festivities beginning at approximately 12:30.