ALPINE, Texas — It took several innings for the St. Mary's University bats to warm up, but they heated up quickly to lift the Rattlers to a 16-7 victory in the first game of the 2026 season at Sul Ross State on Friday afternoon.
The Rattlers scored their 16 runs on 15 hits with two Lobo errors, while Sul Ross State scored seven runs on 12 hits and benefited from three StMU miscues. The 16 runs for St. Mary's are the second-most in a season-opening victory. The 1962 team began with a 20-12 win against what is now Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
The Lobos scored the first five runs of the game through four innings, but the Rattlers plated three in the fifth and six in the sixth for the lead, and added two in the seventh and five in the ninth for the nine-run victory.
Seniors
Garrett Brooks (Spring Branch, Texas),
Jacob King (San Antonio), and
Tristan Moreno (Seguin, Texas) all recorded three-hit days, while Brooks and King drove in 10 runs in the heart of the order. Junior
Dillon Lopez (San Antonio) added two hits.
Both Brooks and junior transfer
Jacob Tanguma (Houston) left the yard with a home run, as Tanguma hit a two-run shot in the sixth to left centerfield, and Brooks hit the second grand slam of his career, blasting a shot to right-center in the ninth inning.
Junior
Ashton Beaird (San Antonio) hit out of the leadoff position, scoring three runs without the benefit of a hit, but he was hit by a pitch three times and walked once in seven plate appearances.
Junior
Brandon Vasquez (Round Rock, Texas) started on the hill for the Gold and Blue. In three innings, he allowed two earned runs on six hits with three walks and three strikeouts in a no decision. Senior transfer
Joel Burgess (Atoscocita, Texas) was credited with the win after pitching two innings and giving up two runs on three hits with three walks and two strikeouts. Junior
Matthew Janecek (Houston) fanned nine batters in four innings, as he also allowed two runs on three hits.
The Rattlers and Lobos return to the diamond on Saturday for a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m.
