LAWTON, Okla. — The St. Mary's University Baseball team played small ball in game one at Cameron, using sacrifice bunts and stolen bases to win 5-1 on Friday evening.
The Rattlers (24-15, 22-15) took advantage of six Aggies (12-25, 10-25) errors on the night, scoring their five runs on seven hits with three sacrifices and three stolen bases. CU scored its run in the first inning, scattering only six hits throughout the other eight innings.
Sophomore
Gabe Cook (San Antonio) pitched four innings, giving up the unearned run on six hits with three strikeouts. Senior
Cameron Hodges (San Antonio) improved to 2-0 on the year, pitching the final five innings, allowing only two hits with five strikeouts and one walk. Hodges retired the first eight batters he faced before hitting an Aggie, and he struck out the side in the ninth after giving up a leadoff walk.
Both senior
Easton Parrish (La Vernia, Texas) and junior
Matt Gauna (San Antonio) recorded two hits, while Parrish and sophomore
Matt Mendez (Natalia, Texas) each had an RBI.
Two singles and an error by the Rattlers led to Cameron scoring one run in the first inning, but the Rattlers immediately answered with a pair in the second.
Senior
Jacob King (San Antonio) led off the frame with a double to left center. Senior
Trey Guajardo (San Juan, Texas) tried to sacrifice himself, but the pitcher overthrew first to put runners on the corners. The pair pulled off the successful double steal for the Rattlers' first run. Gauna walked, and
Raithen Malone (Mont Belvieu, Texas) bunted them up 90 feet. Mendez hit a fly ball to right center for his first sacrifice fly of the season and the 2-0 lead.
The Rattlers added one run in the fourth. With one out, Gauna singled through the left side, moved to third on a Mendez single to right center and scored when Mendez was caught in a rundown between first and second base on a caught stealing.
In the seventh, with two outs, junior
Garrett Brooks (Spring Branch, Texas) walked on five pitches and scored when Parrish doubled to the gap in left-center field. Parrish moved to third when the throw home was wide and scored on a wild pitch for the 5-1 final.
The two clubs return to the diamond on Saturday for a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m.
