Long Balls Lead to Friday Night Split for Softball

SAN ANTONIO — After a close loss in game one, the St. Mary's University Softball team used the long ball in game two to work a split with Lubbock Christian on Friday. The Lady Chaps won game one, 4-2, while the Rattlers took game two, 10-4, scoring 10 unanswered runs.
 
Senior outfielders Mackenzie Dugi (San Antonio) and Reba Reyes (Brownsville, Texas) both left the yard in game two, with Reyes doing so in back-to-back at bats in the fourth and fifth innings. She also tripled in the sixth inning, missing a third home run by inches to go 4-for-4 in the nightcap. Reyes became the 14th player in the school's Division II history to hit home runs in consecutive plate appearances.
 
The Rattlers (15-11, 10-4 Lone Star Conference) have won eight of their last nine games and are currently second in the league standings, while the Lady Chaps (11-10, 10-7 Lone Star) snapped a small three-game winning streak in game two.
 
The two teams conclude the series on Saturday at 1 p.m.
 
GAME ONE RECAP
The Rattlers scored two runs on two hits, while LCU scored four runs on five hits and the two teams combined to commit five errors. 
 
The game was a complete pitcher's duel until the fourth inning as neither team recorded a hit until the Lady Chaps managed two in the top of the fourth, but Dugi made a fantastic throw from right field to junior catcher Jamison Holder (Magnolia, Texas) at home to prevent LCU from breaking onto the scoreboard.
 
The Rattlers scored in the next half inning as with one out, sophomore Raegan Tennill (Corpus Christi, Texas) drew a walk. She came around to score when Holder blasted a double to the gap in right center.
 
LCU knotted the score in the fifth off a leadoff double by Ally Oyanguren. She moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and stole home when a throw down to first wasn't thrown back quick enough by the Rattlers. They took the 2-1 lead in the sixth after the Rattlers committed two errors.
 
The Rattlers took advantage of two Lady Chap errors in their half of the sixth to knot the score at 2-2, but LCU was able to plate two in the seventh for the 4-2 win.
 
Junior Jadyn Abrego (San Antonio) allowed three earned runs on five hits in a complete game. She walked four and struck out one to fall to 3-2 on the year.
 
GAME TWO RECAP
The Rattlers fought off a 4-0 deficit in the second game, scoring 10 runs between the third and sixth innings.
 
With one out in the third, freshman Gabriela Banda (San Antonio) got things going with a single between the third baseman and shortstop. Dugi blasted a home run down the right field line, almost clearing the second fence to the parking lot. It is her first home run as a Rattler and the fourth of her career, cutting the deficit in half, 4-2.
 
Holder rocketed a single back up the middle to lead off the fourth inning, and freshman Elizabeth Soliz (Corpus Christi) pinch-ran for the catcher. Senior Reba Reyes (Brownsville, Texas) hit a home run over the massive batter's eye in centerfield to tie the score at 4-4.
 
In the fifth with one out, Holder reached on a throwing error and moved to second on the error. Reyes launched another ball out of the park, this time almost hitting the picnic table on the berm in left-center for the 6-4 lead. It is the first time since Feb. 9, 2023, a Rattler hit home runs in consecutive at-bats, as Holder did it in the third and fourth innings against MSU Denver last year. 
 
Abrego pinch hit and was walked. Senior Ericka Gomez (Stafford, Texas) re-entered to run for Abrego and moved to second on a walk by Banda. A wild pitch moved both runners up 60 feet. Dugi walked to load the bases and senior Lauren Gonzales (San Antonio) singled up the middle to score Gomez. Sophomore Arianna (AJ) Sanchez (San Antonio) reached when the pitcher misplayed the ball hit back at her and Tennill walked to push across the team's fifth run of the inning and break open a 9-4 lead.
 
Reyes kicked off the sixth inning with a triple to left center, hitting a shot off the fence, just inches away from her third homer of the night. Reyes scampered home on a hard-hit ball by Gomez to left, giving Gomez a sacrifice fly for the night's final run.
 
Junior Madeline Bloom (Poway, Calif.) was in the circle for the first two innings in a no decision. She allowed three earned runs on four hits, walking two and striking out one. Junior Savannah Youngblood (Kingwood, Texas), the reigning Lone Star Conference Pitcher of the Week, scattered five hits over the final five innings, walking two in the victory. She's now 5-1 on the year.