SAN ANTONIO — The St. Mary's University Baseball team swept a doubleheader against Lone Star Conference newcomer UT Dallas on Sunday to win the series, 3-1, and improve to 9-1 on the season.
The 2026 Rattlers are only the third baseball team in school history to start a season 9-1, joining the 1947 and 2008 clubs. The 2001 team that won the national championship started its season 8-2.
St. Mary's won game one against the Comets 9-6 in seven innings and won the nine-inning game two with a 13-7 tally.
The Rattlers head out on the road next week, heading to Lubbock Christian for a four-game series beginning on Friday at 4 p.m. The Chaparrals split the four-game set with Oklahoma Christian.
GAME ONE (9-6)
Each team had a big fourth inning with UTD scoring six and the Rattlers adding five in the bottom half; however, St. Mary's also scored one in the first, two in the second and one in the fifth for the 9-6 victory.
Junior
Eric Tenery (Kerrville, Texas) improved to 3-0 on the year. He pitched the first four innings, allowing six runs on six hits, and he struck out five with no walks issued. Sophomore
Derek Maples (San Antonio) earned the first save of his career, working the final three frames. He surrendered only one hit, walking two and fanning one.
The Rattlers scored their nine runs on seven hits and nine walks. Senior
Garrett Brooks (Spring Branch, Texas) had the team's only multi-hit game, going 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI. Junior
Dillon Lopez (San Antonio) and sophomore
Rob Gonzalez (Pleasanton, Texas) posted two RBI, and both
Ashton Beaird (San Antonio) and
Blake Allen (Bulverde, Texas) walked twice.
GAME TWO (13-7)
The Rattlers scored their runs in bunches in game one, plating three each in the first and second innings, three in the fifth and four in the sixth, while the Comets scored two in the first, two in the fifth, one in the seventh and two in the ninth for the 13-7 final score.
The Comets outhit the Rattlers 14-to-11 in the nightcap, but the Rattlers drew eight walks, while StMU pitchers limited UTD to only two base on balls.
The middle of the StMU lineup did the most damage as Brooks, senior
Jacob King (San Antonio), sophomore
Ryan Alaniz (San Antonio) and junior
Ethan Hughes (League City, Texas) all collected two hits in spots three through six in the order. Alaniz totaled four RBIs with a double and a home run, and both he and King scored three times. Allen, Brooks, Alaniz and Hughes all hit home runs.
Senior
Kaleb Gauna (Hondo, Texas) pitched four innings in a no decision. He allowed two runs on six hits, walking one and striking out two. He also started game two in the series before the lengthy rain delay on Saturday.
Junior
Gabe Cook (San Antonio) continued his hot streak to the season, picking up the win after throwing three innings. He allowed one run on two hits and didn't walk a batter. He is now 1-0 on the year with three saves. Senior transfer
Edward Mendoza (Eagle Pass, Texas) pitched the final two frames, surrendering two runs on three hits with four strikeouts and no walks in a non-save situation.
