Softball Battles Tough in Losses to #3 UT Tyler

SAN ANTONIO – Facing two of the best pitchers in the country, the St. Mary's Softball team dropped a pair of close games to #3 UT Tyler on Tuesday, 3-0 and 4-0.
 
The Rattlers (26-19, 16-16 Lone Star) pitchers did a decent job of containing the Patriots (39-4, 27-2 Lone Star), who rank second in the league with almost 6.5 runs per game.
 
Sophomore Madeline Bloom (Poway, Calif.) allowed two earned runs on five hits with three strikeouts and six walks. She went head-to-head with Tatum Goff, who improved to 25-0 on the season after giving up singles to junior Destiny Salinas (San Antonio) and sophomore Jamison Holder (Magnolia, Texas).
 
In the nightcap, senior Catalina Cavazos (Houston) surrendered three earned runs on seven hits, walking only one and striking out four in a 4-0 loss. Shea O'Leary was in the circle for UTT, allowing three hits with one walk and two strikeouts. Junior Reba Reyes (Brownsville, Texas) had two of the three hits in the game, while freshman Emily Ayala (San Antonio) collected the other. Sophomore Lauryn Ramos (Marion, Texas) drew the lone base on balls for the Gold & Blue.
 
Ayala was honored as the league's hitter of the week minutes before the start of game one.
 
The two teams conclude the three-game series on Wednesday at 1 p.m. at the Park at StMU.