ALPINE, Texas — St. Mary's University Softball ran its winning streak to four games with a doubleheader sweep over Sul Ross State on Sunday, 10-2 and 7-1.
The Rattlers are now 13-10 on the season and 8-4 in Lone Star Conference play, while the Lobos drop to 4-17 overall and 2-10 in the league.
St. Mary's returns home to host Angelo State on Friday, March 7 in a doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m., and Lubbock Christian on Sunday, March 9 at Noon for a doubleheader.
GAME ONE RECAP
Senior
Jadyn Abrego (San Antonio) started in the circle, pitching three innings in a no decision. She allowed one run on one hit, walking two, hitting three, and striking out five. Junior
Ariella Saenz (Pharr, Texas) won her second game of the year, giving up one unearned run on one hit with three strikeouts.
Both senior
Lauren Gonzales (San Antonio) and sophomore
Gabriela Banda (San Antonio) went 4-for-5 on the day, while Banda drove in four runs, including three on her third home run of the season. The Rattlers scored their 10 runs on 18 hits, as six recorded multiple hits in the game.
On the game's second pitch, Gonzales singled up the middle and stole second on pitch three. Banda singled to right for the first run of the game.
Freshman
Izabella Valdez (San Antonio) doubled down the right field line to kick things off in the second inning. Senior
Lauryn Ramos (Marion, Texas) followed with a double down the left field line as the Rattlers traded places. Freshman
Jaylan Roberson (Elgin, Texas) laid down a bunt that was mishandled by the first baseman, allowing Ramos to score.
Abigail Dela Rosa (La Grange, Texas) doubled to right center, but Roberson was tagged out at home. Dela Rosa scored on a sacrifice fly to right field off the bat of
Emily Ayala (San Antonio) for the 4-0 advantage.
The Lobos scored one run in the bottom of the fourth inning on two hit batters, a sacrifice and a fielder's choice where there was a close play at the plate.
With two outs in the fifth, Ramos singled up the middle and she came around to score on a single off the bat of Roberson that got away from the left fielder. Dela Rosa also singled up the middle, driving in Roberson for a 6-1 lead.
Roberson beat out an infield single to the shortstop and Dela Rosa was plunked by a pitch to start the rally in the seventh.
Arianna (AJ) Sanchez (San Antonio) advanced the runners on a groundout. Gonzales hustled down the line on a ball hit to second for another infield single, and she promptly stole second to put runners on second and third. Banda hit a three-run home run, bouncing the ball off the top of the fence in left field for the 10-1 score. Saenz singled, and freshman
Reese Neely (Tyler, Texas) made her first appearance this season, reaching on an error by the third baseman in a pinch-hitting situation. Sul Ross State plated one in the bottom of the seventh for the 10-2 win.
GAME TWO RECAP
Saenz stayed in the circle for game two, giving up only one hit with one walk and two hit batters during three innings of work. Freshman
Madison Mikes (Hallettsville, Texas) stepped into the circle in the fourth inning for her first appearance since Feb. 16 and only her third game of the year. She allowed only one hit, walking one and striking out one in the first win of her collegiate career. Senior
Savannah Youngblood (Kingwood, Texas) pitched the seventh.
Ayala, freshman
Miah Corona (Eddy, Texas) and Dela Rosa all had two-hit games in the nightcap, while Corona and Dela Rosa each drove in a pair of runs. All seven runs were scored by different players as the team collected 10 hits.
Ramos was hit by a pitch to start the second inning, but she was erased on a fielder's choice off the bat of Roberson. Roberson stole second and moved to third on a groundout by sophomore catcher
Madison Magaro (San Antonio). Freshman
Milliana Torrez (El Paso, Texas) was hit by a pitch and stole second on the next pitch. Dela Rosa kept things going with a double over the left fielder's head to plate both runners and give StMU a 2-0 lead.
With the third baseman playing extremely close to home plate, Gonzales slapped a single past her to lead off the third inning, and she stole second for the fourth time on the day. A wild pitch moved Gonzales to third. Banda walked and stole second, and both runs scored on a single to centerfield by Corona to double the lead, 4-0.
Ayala doubled to the warning track in right center to kick things off in the sixth, and Gonzales sacrifice bunted her to third. Ayala scored on a hard shot past the third baseman by Banda for the 5-0 advantage.
Ramos reached on an error by the third baseman, getting to second base, and she scored on a single up the middle by Roberson. With two outs and the bases empty,
Samiya Johnson (San Antonio) beat out a single to the right side of the infield, and Dela Rosa bunted for a single. Ayala drove in another run with her single to right, stretching the lead to 7-0. The Lobos plated an unearned run in the seventh inning for the 7-1 final.
