Offense Explodes for 20 While Schmidt Pitches Gem

SAN ANTONIO – An offensive explosion and a pitching gem added up to an 18-run win for the St. Mary's Baseball team on Friday night at Dickson Stadium as the Rattlers won game one of the four game series against Texas A&M International.
 
Five hitters posted multi-hit games as the Rattlers (12-14, 11-14 Lone Star) scored a season-high 20 runs on 18 hits with one Dustdevil (13-18) error.
 
Devin Goins (San Antonio) was 4-for-4, Clay Bradford (Atascocita, Texas) was 4-for-5, Brandon Broughton (Corpus Christi, Texas) was 3-for-4 and both Easton Parrish (La Vernia, Texas) and Jake Mares (Fort Worth, Texas) were 2-for-4. Bradford was missing only the home run for his second cycle of the season.
 
Senior Connor Schmidt (Devine, Texas) threw a complete-game to win his second-straight start. He allowed two runs on six hits with five walks and seven strikeouts in 121 pitches.
 
Ryan McGowen (San Antonio) doubled just inside the third base line all the way to the 325 sign at the fence to lead off the third inning. He scored on a blistered single through the right side by Mares. Freshman Jacob King (San Antonio) laid down a bunt that was misplayed by the pitcher putting runners on first and second. Bradford doubled down the right field line to plate Mares. Broughton laced a ball back up the middle that almost took out Bradford, but he stood back up and hustled to third. Parrish also took a pitch back up the middle for a single to score the fourth run. Rudy Solis (El Paso, Texas_ placed a perfect bunt down the third-base line for a single to load the bags and Goins hit his second-straight single through the right side. Jake Elizondo (San Antonio) was hit by a pitch to score another run and knock the starting pitcher out of the game.
 
McGowen continued things by walking and Mares singled through the gap in the 5-6 hole. King hit a long fly out to right field and Bradford tripled to left center. After another pitching change, Broughton and Parrish doubled back-to-back. Solis flew out to center and Goins singled to short for 13 runs on 12 hits.
 
In the fifth inning, Broughton singled up the middle with one out. Parrish walked and with two outs, Goins cleared the 365 sign in right center for his second home run of the season and the 16-0 advantage.
 
With one out in the sixth, Mares walked as did Trey Guajardo (San Juan, Texas) who was pinch hitting. Bradford singled to right field to load the bases and freshman Ryan Romine (San Antonio), who was also pinch hitting, blasted a shot off the top of the wall in left-center – missing a home run by inches – to plate two. Parrish grounded out to second but drove in Bradford and Romine scored on a wild pitch for the 20th run of the night.
 
The Dustdevils scored two on a home run to centerfield in the top of the seventh for the 20-2 final.
 
The two teams face each other in a doubleheader on Saturday. Game one is scheduled to start at 2 p.m.