It's a 'Good Friday' for Softball Freshmen in 18-4 Win

ODESSA, Texas – A pair of St. Mary's freshmen were responsible for 11 runs driven in as the Softball team won 18-4 at UT Permian Basin on Friday afternoon to complete the season sweep.
 
Emily Ayala (San Antonio) hit her second grand slam of the week and was 4-for-5 with another two-run home run and a pair of singles for seven RBI. She becomes the first Rattler since Miranda Medina in 2017 to hit grand slams in back-to-back games. Ayala also started in the circle for the third time, pitching two innings with one run on four hits, two walks and a strikeout in a no decision.
 
Ayala's seven RBI tie the St. Mary's single game record and she is the sixth player to do so, joining an elite list with Elizabeth Beyer (2004), Terrie Cox (2004), Kelly Baker (2009), Nicole Sardelich (2015) and Reynelle Nash (2019). 
 
Raegan Tennill (Corpus Christi, Texas) hit her first career home run and was 2-for-2 at the plate, collecting four RBI, including two on a triple in the sixth inning. 
 
Sophomore Jadyn Abrego (San Antonio) tallied her fifth win in the circle, pitching the final four frames. She surrendered three runs on four hits with two walks and three strikeouts.
 
Junior Reba Reyes (Brownsville, Texas) was the other Rattler with a multi-hit day, going 2-for-3 with four runs scored and one RBI. Every other spot in the batting order reached base at least one time as the team scored its 18 runs on 13 hits with seven walks.
 
Junior Lauren Gonzales (San Antonio) legged out a bunt single back to the pitcher with one out in the first. She stole second on the first pitch of the next at bat and went to third on a throwing error by the catcher. Reyes doubled to right centerfield to score Gonzales. Sophomore Jamison Holder (Magnolia, Texas) grounded out to second, but Reyes moved to third. Ayala helped her own cause with a home run over the centerfield fence to push the lead to 3-0.
 
The first three runners reached for the Falcons in the bottom of the first, but the Rattlers turned a triple play, with a sacrifice on the play, Reyes in center to Lauryn Ramos (Marion, Texas) at third to Destiny Salinas (San Antonio) at second to get out of the jam.
 
Junior Mackenzie Dugi (St. Hedwig, Texas) kept the offense up, singling to right center to kick off the second and she hustled to third on a double to left by Ramos. Tennill hit a ball to the fence in left for a sacrifice fly and the 4-1 advantage.
 
Reyes singled to left to lead off the third. Holder hit a ground ball to third, but UTPB was unable to get Reyes out at second. With two outs the pair advanced on a passed ball and Reyes scored on a fielding error by the pitcher off a ball hit by Dugi as the lead grew to 5-1.
 
Tennill took her next at bat a few feet further, clearing the left field fence to lead off the fourth with the first home run of her career and forcing UTPB into a pitching change. Salinas and Gonzales both walked. On a dropped ball by the catcher, both runners advanced one base and the pair scored as the throw down to third went into left field. Reyes walked and stole second base. Holder walked and the Falcons again went to the bullpen. Ayala singled past the third baseman to plate Reyes and give StMU a 9-1 advantage.
 
The Falcons scored one in the fourth and kept the Rattlers off the scoreboard for the first time in the top of the fifth.
 
Holder singled to center to begin things in the sixth and freshman Abigail Dela Rosa (LaGrange, Texas) came into run. Ayala singled to left and the Falcons headed back to the bullpen. Mene'e Padilla (San Antonio), who came in defensively behind the plate in the fifth, singled past a diving shortstop to plate Dela Rosa for the 10th run of the day. Dugi surprisingly drew a walk to load the bases and Ramos hit a sacrifice fly to deep left to plate Ayala. Tennill tripled to clear the bases and push the lead to 13-2. Gonzales reached on an error to the second baseman to plate Tennill and Reyes was plunked. Dela Rosa remained in after running earlier in the inning and drew a walk. Ayala punched her second grand slam of the series making the score 18-2.
 
The Falcons got two runs back in the bottom of the sixth for the 18-4 final.
 
St. Mary's returns home, hoping to keep the offense going during a series against #2 UT Tyler, beginning on Tuesday at 2 p.m.