Comeback Falls Short for Baseball in 2023 Finale

AUSTIN, Texas – The St. Mary's Baseball team almost pulled off the comeback in the opening round of the Lone Star Conference Championship, scoring the final four runs of the game, but it wasn't quite enough as they fell 8-6 to St. Edward's to end their season.
 
The Rattlers (25-27) scored six runs on five hits as the first five in the lineup each tallied one. Both senior Brandon Broughton (Corpus Christi, Texas) and Easton Parrish (La Vernia, Texas) left the yard with their hits, going back-to-back to left field in the sixth inning.
 
The Hilltoppers (38-13), ranked in a three-way tie for No. 13 in the NCBWA poll this week, advances to the second week of the LSC Tournament after scoring eight runs on eight hits.
 
Senior Jake Mares (Fort Worth, Texas) ends his stellar career on a school-record 27-game hitting streak and reaching base in his final 29 contests. Senior Ryan McGowen (San Antonio) was also on base in his final game, drawing a walk in the ninth with two outs to extend the game.
 
Senior John Curtis (Athens, Tenn.) allowed six earned runs on four hits, walking three and striking out four. Junior Andrew Girod (San Antonio) worked the final four frames, surrendering one run on four hits with four strikeouts and three walks. Each pitcher faced 20 batters on the day.
 
The Rattlers say goodbye to a fantastic group of humans in Broughton, Brett Brown, Curtis, Caden Floyd, Brian Juarez, Mares, McGowen, Steven Medrano and Connor Schmidt as the 2023 season comes to a close.