Softball Ends Tuesday With Split

AUSTIN, Texas – Both starting pitchers for St. Mary's were extremely efficient in a heart-wrenching split at St. Edward's on Tuesday.
 
The Rattlers (18-6, 8-3 Lone Star) won game one 4-0 and lost on a walkoff single in the bottom of the seventh, 1-0 in the nightcap.
 
The Rattlers and Hilltoppers (13-10, 7-7 Lone Star) conclude the three-game series on Wednesday in Austin. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
 
GAME ONE
The Rattlers stole a season-high six bases throughout game one to tie for the seventh-most in a single game in school history. The squad ties 10 other teams three shy of the school record of nine from April 14, 2006 against Oklahoma Panhandle State.
 
Six different Rattlers stole one bag each for the Gold & Blue as the team now has 51 swipes on the season.
 
Sophomore pitcher Jadyn Abrego (San Antonio) pitched her third complete game in a row. She allowed only four hits with one walk and used only 73 pitches to wrap up her fourth shutout and keep her ERA at 0.00 for the season.
 
With one out in the first inning, junior Lauren Gonzales (San Antonio) laid down a bunt down the third-base line, stole second and moved to third base on a wild pitch during Jamison Holder's (Magnolia, Texas) at bat. Holder grounded out to the shortstop, allowing Gonzales to score and give the team a 1-0 lead.
 
Junior Reba Reyes (Brownsville, Texas) led off the second with a walk and stole second. Junior Ericka Gomez (Stafford, Texas) laid down a bunt and some confusion by the fielder left runners on the corners. Junior Lauren Garcia (San Antonio) hit into a fielder's choice and the Hilltoppers were able to tag Reyes out at home. A throwing error by the catcher as Garcia stole second allowed Gomez to score and the scoreboard read 2-0.
 
Abrego worked out of a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the second, getting the final out with a routine flyout to centerfield after the Hilltoppers had two base hits and a walk. She retired the side in order in both the third and the fourth, including a great diving catch by sophomore Lauryn Ramos (Marion, Texas) on a pop fly into the area behind the pitcher's circle in front of the second base bag for the second out in the fourth.
 
In the sixth, junior Mackenzie Dugi (St. Hedwig, Texas) reached on a tough error credited to the shortstop and she stole second with one out. Holder singled up the middle and junior Destiny Salinas (San Antonio) entered to run for her. Sophomore Kaylynne Ruiz (Eagle Pass, Texas) followed with a single back up the middle to plate Dugi. With two outs, Gomez shot a line drive through the right side for a single and the fourth run of the game. The Rattlers are now outscoring opponents 46-12 in the fifth and sixth innings in 2023.
 
GAME TWO
Senior Catalina Cavazos (Houston) only allowed one hit all day, but it proved a costly one as a single to centerfield in the bottom of the seventh with two outs allowed the winning run to cross the plate in a 1-0 affair. Cavazos hit the leadoff batter in the seventh, she stole second and scored with two outs on the single. Cavazos walked one, hit two and fanned seven in moving to 8-3 on the year. 
 
The Rattlers faced a left-handed pitcher for only the third time this season – and she was only the second to work an extended length of time, as Cadie Belle Currie gave up only three hits and two walks while striking out three.
 
Holder, Ramos and freshman Raegan Tennill (Corpus Christi, Texas) each recorded one of the three hits for StMU.
 
It is the 12th time the two teams have ended in a 1-0 score in the 170 meetings and only the second time the Rattlers have lost by that tally (10-2).