Two Records Tied as Softball Splits Day One of 2025

CONROE, Texas — The St. Mary's University Softball team tied two school records on the opening day of the 2025 season as the Rattlers split a pair of games.
 
Senior Savannah Youngblood (Kingwood, Texas) tied the school's career saves record as she pitched a scoreless seventh inning in the team's 11-7 win over Colorado School of Mines in the nightcap. Youngblood now has nine saves in her career, matching Ashley Mills record from 2016-17.
 
Junior Abigail Dela Rosa (La Grange, Texas) tied the StMU single game record for triples in a game, becoming the eighth Rattler to hit two, doing so in the season-opening 12-7 loss to Southeastern Oklahoma State. She crushed another triple in the second game and went 7-for-8 at the plate with five runs scored and five RBI.
 
The win over Colorado School of Mines is the first for new Head Coach Ronnie Ladines. The Rattlers face Saint Martin's at 11 a.m. on Saturday and take on Pittsburg State at 1:30 p.m. The Saints dropped both games on the first day of the DII First Pitch Invitational, while the Gorillas split day one.
 
Southeastern State 12, St. Mary's 7
The Rattlers scored a pair in the top of the first inning. With one out, both Dela Rosa and junior Raegan Tennill (Corpus Christi, Texas) bunted for singles. They moved up on a walk drawn by senior Jadyn Abrego (San Antonio), and both scored on a single to right field off the bat of junior Ariana (AJ) Sanchez (San Antonio). The Storm answered with four runs on three hits, including a pair of home runs in the bottom half of the inning.
 
SEOSU added six runs in the bottom of third, but the Rattlers answered with three in the fourth. Freshman Miah Corona (Eddy, Texas) led off the frame with a home run down the left field line, leaving the yard in the second at bat of her career. With one out, freshman Araceli Arevalo (Houston) reached on an error, moved to second on a single to left by fifth-year Lauren Gonzales (San Antonio), and both scored on Dela Rosa's first triple.
 
The Storm got one run back in the bottom of the fifth and the Rattlers again responded, scoring two in the sixth. Arevalo singled to short, moved up on a sacrifice bunt by Gonzales and scored on Dela Rosa's triple down the right field line. Tennill plated Dela Rosa with her single up the middle and she promptly stole second and third base but was stranded. SEOSU scored one in the sixth for the 12-7 final.
 
Abrego started in the circle and was credited with the loss after allowing four runs on three hits in 1/3 of an inning. Junior Ariella Saenz (Pharr, Texas) worked the next 3 2/3 innings, surrendering six runs on six hits and Youngblood pitched the final two frames, allowing two runs on four hits.
 
St. Mary's 11, Colorado School of Mines 7
The top four in the lineup recorded seven of the team's 11 hits, led by Dela Rosa with three and Gonzales with two, and Tennill drove in four runs.
 
Junior Breanna Ford (Corpus Christi) pitched the first 1 2/3 innings, allowing five runs on four hits. Senior Madeline Bloom (Poway, Calif.) only gave up two runs on eight hits, striking out four in 4 1/3 frames for her first win of the year. Youngblood worked the seventh in scoreless fashion.
 
The Orediggers scored one in the first and four in the second to jump out to the 5-0 lead. The Rattlers exploded for six in the third to take the 6-5 advantage. Senior Lauryn Ramos (Marion, Texas) was plunked by a pitch on the first pitch of the inning. Arevalo hit a squib shot back to the pitcher, and it was misplayed, putting runners on first and second. Gonzales laid down a bunt to load the bases, and Dela Rosa singled through the right side, driving in two. Tennill tripled to left center, scoring two more, and sophomore Gabriela Banda (San Antonio) scored Tennill with her single to second. Senior catcher Mene'e Padilla (San Antonio) singled up the middle to score Banda and give the Rattlers the lead.
 
CSM tied the score in the third with one run, and the Rattler bats went back to work, scoring four in the fourth. Arevalo singled past the third baseman, and Gonzales bunted for a single. Arevalo used her speed to put runners on the corners, and a Dela Rosa walk loaded the bags. Tennill hit a sacrifice fly to right field. A wild pitch moved both runners up and Corona walked to once again place the bags full of Snakes. Abrego pinch hit and was plunked for an RBI. Sophomore Madison Magaro recorded her first hit of the season with a single to right center for two runs and the 10-7 advantage.
 
In the seventh, Dela Rosa hit her third triple of the day and scored on a groundout by Tennill for the 11th run of the night.