Baseball Outhits Toppers in Doubleheader Loss

SAN ANTONIO – Despite outhitting eighth-ranked St. Edward's in a doubleheader on Saturday, the St. Mary's Baseball team was unable to get a win in either game, falling 10-6 and 8-6.
 
The Rattlers (16-20, 14-20 Lone Star) saw the Hilltoppers (29-6, 27-6 Lone Star) post more runs than hits in both contests, scoring 10 runs on nine hits in the first game and eight runs on seven hits in the nightcap. The Rattlers posted six runs on seven hits in game one and 11 hits in game two.
 
The two teams continue the series on Sunday with first pitch at 4 p.m. and conclude it on Monday with a 1 p.m. start.
 
GAME ONE RECAP
Senior Connor Schmidt (Devine, Texas) was handed his first loss of the season after allowing six earned runs on five hits with seven walks and four strikeouts. Andrew Girod (San Antonio), Chase Bright (San Antonio) and Brett Brown (Sinton, Texas) each pitched one inning in relief with Bright and Brown holding SEU off the scoreboard.
 
Senior Brandon Broughton (Corpus Christi, Texas) returned to the defensive lineup for the first time since game six, playing first base. He responded by going 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles on offense. 
 
Senior Clay Bradford (Atascocita, Texas) singled up the middle with two outs in the first and was almost picked off, but the ball was dropped during the rundown. Broughton drove a ball down the left field line that rolled all the way to the fence, allowing Bradford to score from first for the 1-0 lead.
 
Rudy Solis (El Paso, Texas) hit a Texas-leaguer about four feet off the foul line in shallow right field for a single. Jacob Elizondo (San Antonio) flared a single to shallow centerfield and Trey Guajardo (San Juan, Texas) followed with a single through the right side to plate Solis. Ryan McGowen (San Antonio) bunted to the left of the pitcher's mound and the throw pulled the shortstop off second, allowing everyone to be safe and load the bases. Jake Mares (Fort Worth, Texas) blooped a single to almost the exact same place as Solis to score two and Mares was out at second on a ball hit to short by Jacob King (San Antonio) for the 5-0 advantage.
 
St. Ed's scored three runs in the top of the third, though all three were unearned. Broughton led off with a double down the right field line for his second double of the day. He moved to third on a long flyout to center by Easton Parrish (La Vernia, Texas) and scored on a groundout off the bat of Solis for the 6-3 tally.
 
A seven-spot for the Hilltoppers in the top of the fifth had the scoreboard read 10-6.
 
GAME TWO RECAP
Senior John Curtis (Athens, Tenn.) only allowed three earned runs (seven total) on five hits but walked five and struck out four in moving to 2-4 on the season. Freshman Brody Ticer (San Antonio) pitched the seventh, giving up one run on two hits.
 
The Rattlers struck first in game two as well. With one out, King singled up the middle. Bradford followed with a single to left and Broughton blasted a single back up the middle to plate King. Parrish walked on five pitches to load the bases but a doubleheader ended the threat with only one run scored.
 
The Toppers hit their second grand slam of the day in the third inning, taking advantage of walks to take a 4-1 lead.
 
In the bottom of the fifth with the same score, Mares bunted to the right of the mound for a single. With two outs Bradford singled through the right side and put runners on the corners. Bradford stole second and a Broughton triple to the deepest part of the park cleared the bases and brought the Rattlers within one, 4-3.
 
The Hilltoppers plated three runs in the sixth to stretch the lead to four, 7-3 and added a run in the eighth for the 8-3 score.
 
Mares and King both walked to start the seventh and moved up 90 feet on a wild pitch. Bradford crushed a ball that cleared the bullpen in right field for three runs for the 8-6 final tally.