Softball Splits Sunday in Silver City

SILVER CITY, N.M. – On a cloudy, breezy day in New Mexico, the St. Mary's Softball team split with Western New Mexico, losing in walk-off fashion 4-3 in game one before winning game two, 8-4.
 
The split puts the Rattlers record at 15-5 in Lone Star Conference play and 31-8 overall and wraps up the road trip with a 3-1 record.
 
The Gold & Blue return home for one of the toughest weeks in Lone Star play as they host third-ranked UT Tyler on Friday beginning at 4 p.m. and ninth-ranked Texas A&M Commerce on Sunday starting at Noon. Sunday will be Senior Day for the Rattlers as they close the season with eight-straight on the road. 
 
GAME ONE RECAP
Freshman Jadyn Abrego (San Antonio) worked 5.2 innings, allowing one earned run on six hits. She didn't walk anyone and struck out two in a no decision. Freshman Savannah Youngblood (Kingswood, Texas) fell to 9-3 on the year, surrendering the fourth run on four hits. She fanned two and didn't give up a walk in one inning of work.
 
Senior Abigale Carney (El Paso, Texas) recorded two of the team's five hits, doubling and hitting her 10th home run of the season.
 
The Rattlers took advantage of a fielding error to score the first run of the afternoon. Reba Reyes (Brownsville, Texas) knocked a sharply hit ball to right field and the ball was dropped, allowing her to get all the way to third. Senior Victoria Aldridge (Elgin, Texas) hit a sacrifice fly to left for the 1-0 advantage.
 
Senior Jayme Johns (Elgin) singled through the right side to lead off the fourth and with two outs, Carney hit her third home run of the weekend. The ball looked like it could be a routine fly ball off the bat, but kept carrying right over the right centerfield fence for the 3-0 lead.
 
The Mustangs tied the score in the bottom of the sixth off four hits and a Rattler error and won in the bottom of the seventh after getting a single, a fielder's choice where the runner was called safe in a close play at second and a double to the gap in left center.
 
GAME TWO RECAP
St. Mary's scored eight runs on 11 hits with five walks and one WNMU error, while the Mustangs scored four runs on 10 hits in the nightcap.
 
Johns was 4-for-4 to lead the offense, while senior Amber Gonzales (Austin, Texas) and freshman Mine'e Padilla (San Antonio) each posted two hits and senior Tiffany Licon (Austin) scored two of the runs.
 
Junior Catalina Cavazos (Houston) improved to 16-1 on the season, throwing her 11th complete game. She walked one and struck out six.
 
Three hits by the Mustangs in the bottom of the first gave them the early 1-0 advantage.
 
The Rattlers took the lead with two runs in the third. Licon singled up the middle to start things off and was sacrificed to second by freshman Cassidy Mageors (Freeport, Texas). Aldridge walked and Johns singled to left to load the bases. Carney hit a sacrifice fly to deep in left field and senior Bari Christian (San Antonio) reached on a throwing error by the shortstop which scored Aldridge and brought the score to 2-1.
 
WNMU tied the score in the bottom of the third on a pair of singles and a double, but the defense caught the Mustangs in a rundown for the third out and save the go-ahead run.
 
StMU regained the lead immediately. Reyes pinch hit for freshman Lauryn Ramos (Marion, Texas) and walked, stole second, moved to third on a passed ball and scored on a groundout by Licon. The Rattlers tacked on another run in the fifth. With one out, Johns doubled to left-center, Carney walked and Johns scored on a double to right by Christian for the 4-2 advantage. 
 
With one out in the sixth, Padilla singled to centerfield and senior Rebekah Hubacek (Bryan, Texas) pinch ran for her. Licon and Aldridge both walked and a single to center by Johns scored a pair and pushed the lead to 6-2.
 
In the seventh with two outs, Ericka Gomez (Stafford, Texas) singled through the right side and she scored on a ball crushed over the left centerfield wall by Padilla. The Mustangs hit two solo home runs in the bottom half of the frame for the 8-4 final.