Softball Wins Two to Begin 2023 Campaign

CONROE, Texas – The St. Mary's Softball team swept a pair of games to kick off the 2023 season, defeating Cal Poly Humboldt, 4-3 and #13 Augustana, 5-4 at the Scrap Yard.
 
Junior Mackenzie Dugi (St. Hedwig, Texas) went 4-for-7 in the leadoff position for the Rattlers (2-0) with a double and triple in the first game and three of the team's eight RBI. Sophomore Lauryn Ramos (Marion, Texas) was 3-for-6 on the day and junior Ericka Gomez (Stafford, Texas) was 2-for-5.
 
The Rattlers play two games on Saturday, taking on Arkansas Tech at 1:15 and Pittsburg State at 5:45 before wrapping up the DII Spring Invitational Kickoff on Sunday at 11 a.m. against #8 Central Oklahoma.
 
HUMBOLDT RECAP
Senior Catalina Cavazos (Houston) picked up where she left off a season ago, pitching a complete game without allowing an earned run. She didn't walk any batters and struck out five. A season ago, Cavazos tossed 16 complete games in 26 starts.
 
Dugi went 2-for-3 and scored two of the team's four runs. Freshman Raegan Tennill (Corpus Christi, Texas) drew two of the team's five walks and the Rattlers swiped four bases throughout the game.
 
Dugi made her presence felt immediately, leading off the game with a triple to right field. With two outs, Tennillwalked in her first collegiate plate appearance and immediately stole second, forcing a throwing error by the catcher which allowed Dugi to scamper home for an unearned run and the 1-0 lead.
 
Cal Poly Humboldt tied the game in the top of the third with an unearned run on a throwing error.
 
The Rattlers immediately regained the lead. Dugi walked to kick off the inning and junior Reba Reyes (Brownsville, Texas) tripled down the left field line to plate Dugi. Sophomore Jamison Holder (Magnolia, Texas) reached on a fielder's choice that tagged out Reyes at home and freshman Abigail Dela Rosa (LaGrange, Texas) pinch ran for Holder. She stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error. Ramos singled to left to drive in Dela Rosa and promptly stole second. Senior Lauren Garcia (San Antonio) walked but the pair were stranded with a 3-1 Rattlers lead.
 
After Cavazos retired the side in order in the top of the fourth, sophomore Kaylynne Ruiz (Eagle Pass, Texas) was plunked by a pitch. Junior transfer Destiny Salinas (San Antonio) was put into run for Ruiz and sacrifice to second by Gomez. Dugi doubled to left center to plate Salinas and force CPH into a pitching change at 4-1.
 
The Lumberjacks got one run back in the fifth off a single, two stolen bases and a throwing error. In the top of the seventh, CPH added one on a sacrifice fly, but Cavazos buckled down and fanned the final two batters for the 4-3 win.
 
AUGUSTANA RECAP
Sophomore hurler Savannah Youngblood (Kingwood, Texas) pitched six innings in her first win of the season, allowing three earned runs on six hits with three walks and three strikeouts. Sophomore Madeline Bloom (Poway, Calif.) entered in the seventh, retiring three of the four batters she faced for the first save of her career.
 
Dugi and Ramos each had two hits as the Rattlers scored five runs on seven hits with four walks and three doubles.
 
Augustana scored an unearned run in the top of the second inning for the early 1-0 lead, but StMU immediately answered with one in the bottom of the second. Tennill doubled to left center to lead things off and scored on a Ramos single down the left field line to knot the game at 1-1.
 
In the bottom of the fourth, Tennill reached on a fielding error by the third baseman and moved to second when Ramos singled through the right side. Garcia walked to load the bases and with one out, Ruiz doubled to left center to score two. With two outs, Dugi singled between the short stop and third baseman to plate a third run of the frame and give the Gold & Blue a 4-1 lead.
 
The Vikings got one run back in the top of the fifth, but the Rattlers recorded the insurance run in the bottom of the sixth. With one out, Ruiz walked and scampered to third on a double off the bat of Gomez. Dugi again singled through the 5-6 hole to score Ruiz and make the score 5-2.
 
Augustana rallied in the top of the seventh, scoring two runs to pull within one, 5-4, however Bloom got a strikeout surrounded by a pair of infield groundouts to end the threat and secure the victory.