EDMOND, Okla. – The St. Mary's University Baseball team rebounded in a big way, winning both games of a doubleheader on Saturday at Oklahoma Christian, winning game one 6-3 and game two 6-1 to take a 2-1 lead in the series.
The Rattlers (5-2) scored their six runs on nine hits in each game and have a chance to win both of the first two series of the season with a victory on Sunday.
The finale is slated for a 1 p.m. first pitch on Sunday at Dobson Field in Edmond. The Rattlers then return home for a rare mid-week game as they host Our Lady of the Lake on Tuesday, Feb. 11 at 6 p.m. in the lone game of the week.
GAME ONE RECAP
For the second straight game, the Rattlers struck first, scoring three runs in the top of the second inning, but this time, the team was able to hold the lead, winning 6-3.
Juniors
Raithen Malone (Mont Belvieu, Texas),
Jacob King (San Antonio) and
Tristan Moreno (Seguin, Texas) each recorded two hits, while Moreno scored twice and junior
Garrett Brooks (Spring Branch, Texas) and senior
Hogan Heller (San Antonio) drove in two runs each.
Sophomore
Gabe Cook (San Antonio) had his second strong outing in a row, pitching 5 1/3 innings, allowing only one run on five hits with one walk and six strikeouts. Junior
Brody Ticer (San Antonio) and senior
Carlos Flores Jr. (San Antonio) each gave up one run and struck out one out of the bullpen.
In the second with one out, King beat out an infield single to third base and hustled to third on a double to left field by sophomore
Dillon Lopez (San Antonio). Both scored on a single to right by Heller. With two outs, Moreno singled to center to plate Heller for the 3-0 lead.
Senior
Jacob Elizondo (San Antonio) singled to begin the third, moved to second on a groundout by senior
Brendan Concannon (Flower Mound, Texas), stole third and scored on a sacrifice fly to left field off the bat of Brooks.
The Eagles went to the bullpen to start the fifth and Moreno greeted him with a base on balls. Malone singled to third, and both advanced on a groundout by Elizondo. Concannon walked to load the bases and an error by the shortstop allowed Moreno to score.
The Rattlers stretched the lead to 6-0 with a run in the sixth. With two outs, Moreno singled to the shortstop and then swiped both second and third base, scoring easily on a double to right field by Malone.
OC scored one in the sixth and two in the seventh, but Flores got a lineout to end the threat.
GAME TWO RECAP
The Rattlers broke onto the scoreboard first for the seventh straight game, plating an unearned run in the first inning and never looked back, winning 6-1.
The top four in the lineup recorded all nine hits for the Rattlers, as Malone and Elizondo were both 2-for-4, Brooks was 3-for-3 and King was 2-for-3 with four RBIs.
Senior
Javier De Alejandro (San Antonio) conceded one run on three hits with two walks and two strikeouts in five innings of work and junior
Cole Brady (Nacogdoches, Texas) gave up only one hit and one walk in the final two frames.
Elizondo reached on a throwing error by the third baseman with one out in the first inning, stole second, went to third on a single to left by Brooks and scored when King singled to left.
Malone started the third with a single to right and went to second on a single to center by Elizondo. Both advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Brooks and scored on a single to left by King for the 3-0 lead.
Oklahoma Christian scored one in the bottom of the fourth, but the Rattlers answered with two of their own in the fifth. Moreno walked, Malone posted an infield single and the pair advanced a base on a single to left by Brooks. King hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield for the 5-1 advantage.
The Rattlers tacked on an insurance run in the seventh. With one out, Elizondo singled to right and scored on a double off the bat of Brooks for the 6-1 final tally.
