SAN ANTONIO — Despite the runs scored being on the opposite ends of the spectrum, both games of the doubleheader on Tuesday came down to the long ball between St. Mary's University and Texas A&M Kingsville University. The Rattlers won game one, 12-7, while the Javelinas won game two, 2-1 in eight innings.
The long-time rivals will decide the winner of the series on Wednesday at 3 p.m. at The Park at StMU. The game will be the 119th between the two teams, as the Rattlers (7-10, 2-3 Lone Star Conference) hold a 78-40 advantage.
GAME ONE RECAP
The two teams combined for 19 runs on 25 hits in game one, with eight runs crossing home plate in the second inning.
The Javelinas (10-3, 3-2 Lone Star) plated two in the top of the second off three hits for the short-lived 2-0 lead. Junior
Jamison Holder (Magnolia, Texas) drew a walk and with one out, senior
Reba Reyes (Brownsville, Texas) smashed her third home run of the season to knot the score. Senior
Ericka Gomez (Stafford, Texas) singled down the right field line and junior
Lauryn Ramos (Marion, Texas) walked. Senior
Mackenzie Dugi (St. Hedwig, Texas) singled up the middle, scoring Gomez from second, and promptly stole second base. Senior
Lauren Gonzales (San Antonio) bunted for a single and the third baseman hit her in the back with the throw, allowing Ramos to scamper home from third. Gonzales stole second base and Dugi scored on a groundout off the bat of senior
Destiny Salinas (San Antonio). Sophomore
Raegan Tennill (Corpus Christi, Texas) blistered a single down the left field line to plate Gonzales and give the Rattlers a 6-2 advantage.
The Rattlers added a run in the third. With one out, Reyes reached on a fielding error by the third baseman, moved to second on a groundout by Gomez and scored on a Ramos single to left.
Each team scored one run in the fourth. The run for the Rattlers came on a solo home run by Salinas that almost hit the flagpole in right centerfield. It is the first home run for Salinas to leave the yard as a season ago she hit an inside-the-park one.
The Javelinas plated three runs in the fifth, thanks to a pair of home runs, but StMU immediately got two runs back in their half. Reyes singled to third, stole second, moved to third on a single by Gomez and scored on a Ramos single right through where she plays on the infield. Dugi was hit by a pitch and Gonzales grounded out to second, but drove in Gomez for the 10-6 advantage.
Another home run by Texas A&M Kingsville made the score 10-7 but the Rattlers defense got three quick outs after that to allow the offense another chance.
With one out, Holder was hit by a pitch. Freshman
Gabriela Banda (San Antonio) drove a ball under the glove of a diving short stop. Freshman
Elizabeth Soliz (Corpus Christi), who was running for Holder, scored on a double by Reyes. Banda scored on a wild pitch for the 12-7 final.
Junior
Jadyn Abrego (San Antonio) pitched three innings in a no decision. She allowed three runs on five hits with three walks. Junior
Savannah Youngblood (Kingwood, Texas) moved to 2-1 on the season in the win. In 1 1/3 inning she allowed two runs on two hits. Both senior
Sara Robertson (Lorena, Texas) and sophomore
Breanna Ford (Corpus Christi) were also in the circle in relief.
GAME TWO RECAP
It only took a 30-minute break for the offensive explosion in game one to turn into a pitcher's duel in game two. Neither team broke onto the scoreboard until the fifth inning and starting pitchers Carissa De Los Santos and
Madeline Bloom (Poway, Calif.) only allowed five hits to be scattered throughout the first four frames.
All three runs in the game were scored via solo home runs as Kayla Gonzales left the yard twice for the Javelinas, once in the fifth and once in the eighth, while Reyes hit a home run in the bottom of the seventh for the 2-1 final.
Bloom moved to 0-3 on the season after allowing six hits with two walks and three strikeouts in her first complete game of the year.
