Softball Splits With D3 #4 Texas Lutheran

SAN ANTONIO – Though different divisions, the games at the Park at StMU on Wednesday night featured a pair of nationally-ranked teams as #19 St. Mary's and #4 Texas Lutheran softball split a doubleheader.
 
The Rattlers won game one 8-5 behind another complete game by senior Catalina Cavazos (Houston) as she improves to 5-1. The Bulldogs came back to win the second game 5-0. Rattler sophomore Madeline Bloom (Poway, Calif.) pitched a complete game allowing only one earned run on eight hits with one walk and three strikeouts.
 
St. Mary's (9-2) begins Lone Star Conference play at 3 p.m. Friday, welcoming Eastern New Mexico to town. The Greyhounds is 8-4 on the year and won their last two games on Sunday in a doubleheader sweep over Fort Lewis.
 
GAME ONE RECAP
Sophomore catcher Jamison Holder (Magnolia, Texas) continued to see the ball well at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a double, RBI and a run scored.
 
Junior right fielder Mackenzie Dugi (St. Hedwig, Texas) was 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored, a walk and a double and junior Reba Reyes (Brownsville, Texas) was 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI.
 
Cavazos surrendered three earned runs on 10 hits, walked one and struck out a pair in her fifth complete game of the season.
 
TLU scored one in the top of the first for the early lead. In the bottom of the frame with one out, Dugi doubled to center, advanced to third on a wild pitch that went to second instead of home and scored on a single down the left field line by Holder.
 
The Bulldogs took a 3-1 lead in the second inning, though both runs were unearned after an error in the frame. With one out, sophomore Kaylynne Ruiz (Eagle Pass, Texas) doubled to left center. Junior Destiny Salinas pinch ran for her and scored on a double to left center off the bat of freshman Raegan Tennill (Corpus Christi, Texas).
 
After holding TLU off the scoreboard in the third, the Rattlers offense went right back to work, plating two for the 4-3 advantage. Dugi singled back to the pitcher, was sacrificed to second by junior Ericka Gomez (Stafford, Texas) and advanced to third on a single up the middle by Holder. Freshman Abigail Dela Rosa (LaGrange, Texas) entered to run and sophomore Lauryn Ramos (Marion, Texas) was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Senior Lauren Garcia (San Antonio) hit a sacrifice fly to center and the Rattlers pulled off the successful double steal for the 4-3 score.
 
In the fifth, Dugi walked, was moved to second on another sacrifice by Gomez. Holder doubled to left and a single to right by Ramos scored Dugi. With two outs, Ruiz walked and Reyes followed with a single to center scoring a pair for a 7-3 lead.
 
Back-to-back doubles by the Bulldogs cut the deficit to three, but the Rattlers immediately answered. Gonzales laid down a great bunt and was hit with the throw to first as she touched the bag for a single. She stole second, moved to third on a passed ball and scored on a single to right by Gomez. TLU scored one in the top half of the seventh for the 8-5 final score.
 
GAME TWO RECAP
In the first start of her career, Bloom allowed only one earned run through seven innings – and it was a home run that was inches from being foul as it caromed off the foul pole down the left field line.
 
The Rattlers were stymied by TLU pitcher Ashlyn Strother, who in her first appearance gave up one hit, walked one and struck out three. Strother is coming off a 25-0 season a year ago and she threw 116 pitches in her first outing of 2023.
 
Gomez recorded the lone hit for the Gold & Blue – a shot to left field with two outs in the fourth. Holder followed, reaching first on a dropped fly ball when the third baseman hit the bag drifting into foul ground, but the pair were stranded on first and third.