Softball Advances to LSC Semifinals With Thrilling 10-6 Win

CANYON, Texas – The St. Mary's University Softball team advanced to their first-ever Lone Star Conference Semifinals with a 10-6 win over Oklahoma Christian in the quarterfinals at West Texas A&M on Friday.
 
Both teams managed 12 hits in the game and had one error, but the Rattlers (32-23) were able to push across four more runs.
 
Senior Lauren Gonzales (San Antonio) did what she has done all year, create havoc for opposing defenses and setting the table for the remainder of the lineup. She was 4-for-5 with a stolen base, two infield singles and her first triple of the year. Four others recorded two hits each in senior Ericka Gomez (Stafford, Texas), senior Mackenzie Dugi (St. Hedwig, Texas), junior Jadyn Abrego (San Antonio) and junior Lauryn Ramos (Marion, Texas). 
 
Junior Madeline Bloom (Poway, Calif.) started in the circle for the Rattlers. She gave up four earned runs on seven hits with two walks and a strikeout in a no decision. Junior Savannah Youngblood (Kingwood, Texas) won her 11th game of the season, allowing only one run on five hits with one walk and two strikeouts – including the final batter of the game.
 
Gonzales led off the game with a single to centerfield. She promptly stole second base – her fifth steal against the Eagles this season – and she hustled to third on a sacrifice bunt off the bat of sophomore Raegan Tennill (Corpus Christi, Texas). A wild pitch plated Gonzales standing up for the 1-0 lead. The Eagles scored two runs on two hits and a walk in the bottom of the frame to take a 2-1 advantage.
 
The Rattlers fought right back, as Gomez singled over the outstretched glove of the shortstop to get things going. With two outs, a long single to right center off the bat of Abrego scored Gomez from first. OC answered with one run on two hits to regain the lead, 3-2.
 
Gonzales beat out an infield single to second base. Tennill bunted her to second. Senior Reba Reyes (Brownsville, Texas) walked and with two outs, Gomez doubled down the right field line to score Gonzales from second. Dugi missed a home run to left-center by inches for a triple, giving the Rattlers a 5-3 cushion. Once again, the Eagles had an answer, knotting the score on three hits and a walk for the 5-5 tie.
 
Both schools went to the bullpen for the fourth inning. The Eagles brought in Grace Anderson, who put the first zero on the board, and Youngblood responded in kind.
 
Abrego laced a ground-rule double down the left field line to begin the sixth inning and Ramos blasted a no-doubter that landed on the roof of the batting cages for her second home run of the year and the 7-5 lead. 
 
Dugi doubled off the wall in left-center and freshman Gabriela Banda (San Antonio) walked. Senior Destiny Salinas (San Antonio) came into run for Banda. Abrego reached on an error by the left fielder to score Dugi and Salinas scampered to third. Ramos beat out a bunt down the third base line for a single to score the ninth run of the day. Gonzales used her speed to beat out a bunt single and load the bases. The Eagles made a second pitching change, bringing in Kadence Brewster from left field. Tennill hit a sacrifice fly to score Abrego and make the scoreboard read 10-6.
 
The Eagles threatened in the bottom of the seventh with two hits, and a walk, but Youngblood forced a popout to Ramos at short and struck out the final batter of the game for the win.
 
The Rattlers face host and top-seeded West Texas A&M at approximately 6:30 p.m. on Friday in the semifinals.