Baseball Earns Series Split With No. 27 LCU

SAN ANTONIO — Two crooked innings lifted the St. Mary's University Baseball team to a 9-2 win over No. 27 Lubbock Christian on Sunday to work a series split with the defending Lone Star Champions.
 
Junior Hagen Rose (Troy, Texas) continued to shine on the hill for the Rattlers (9-4, 8-4), improving to 3-0 this season, and he's yet to allow an earned run. Rose scattered two hits, walking only one and striking out six in six innings of work. Sophomore Matthew Janecek (Houston) picked up his second save of the year, pitching the final three innings, giving up one run on two hits with no walks and fanning three Chaps (9-7, 9-7).
 
The Rattlers scored their nine runs on 11 hits, with four coming off the bat of senior Trey Guajardo (San Juan, Texas). Sophomore Dillon Lopez (San Antonio) was also on base four times, going 1-for-2 with three walks and sophomore Matt Mendez (Natalia, Texas) collected three RBI.
 
StMU broke onto the scoreboard first, scoring four runs in the fourth. Junior Garrett Brooks (Spring Branch, Texas) singled to shallow right field to lead off the frame, and Lopez walked. Senior Easton Parrish (La Vernia, Texas) doubled to center to score Brooks, and both he and Lopez scored on a single up the middle off the bat of senior Hogan Heller (San Antonio). Heller scampered to second on a wild pitch, moved to third on a single through the right side by Guajardo and scored when junior Raithen Malone (Mont Belvieu, Texa) grounded into a double play.
 
The Chaps plated an unearned run in the top of the fifth, but Rose worked out of the jam, stranding a pair of runners.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, the Rattlers plated another four runs. Lopez singled up the middle to begin the rally. Parrish walked and Heller reached on a throwing error by the pitcher, allowing Lopez to score. After a pitching change by the Chaps and Guajardo struck out, Malone was intentionally walked to load the bases. Mendez made them pay with a double down the left field line, clearing the bases for the 8-1 advantage.
 
With two outs in the eighth, Parrish was hit by a pitch, and Heller once again reached on a throwing error by the pitcher on a sacrifice bunt attempt, putting runners on second and third. Guajardo singled up the middle to score Parrish. An LCU home run in the ninth made the scoreboard read 9-2 for the final.
 
The Rattlers play their final non-conference game of the season on Tuesday against Our Lady of the Lake at 6 p.m. before traveling to No. 2 Angelo State beginning on Friday.