DENTON, Texas — After a pitching duel in the first game of the doubleheader, the offenses exploded in game two, as the St. Mary's University Softball team split the twinbill at Texas Woman's University on Saturday.
The Rattlers (13-8, 5-3) lost game one 3-0 before rebounding for a 16-10 win on the strength of a seven-run seventh inning in game two.
In the first game, junior
Iliana Melendez (Seabrook, Texas) collected three of the team's four hits, including a triple in the first inning, while senior
Abigail Dela Rosa (La Grange, Texas) added the other via a double in the fifth inning.
Senior
Emily Ayala (San Antonio) took the loss in game one. She pitched 3 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on two hits with two walks and a hit batter. Junior
Emery Aguilar pitched the final 2 1/3 innings, giving up one run on two hits, striking out two and walking a pair.
Randi Crawford improved to 4-2 with a complete game victory for the Pioneers (6-10, 4-4). She struck out nine with no walks.
The bats for both teams came alive in game two as the two clubs combined for 26 runs on 29 hits. Each team scored at least one run in the first four innings, and the Rattlers put the game out of reach with seven runs in the final frame.
Melendez drew four walks and was 1-for-1 in the nightcap, becoming the first player since 2015 to have four base on balls in the same game. Her four walks rank second in school history, and she is the third player to do so, joining Tanya Medina (1999) and Nicole Sardelich (2015) in the record books.
Miah Corona (Eddy, Texas),
Ariella Saenz (Pharr, Texas) and
Samiya Johnson (Corpus Christi, Texas) each added three hits. Saenz, Johnson and
Izabella Valdez (San Antonio) each hit a home run, and Johnson and Saenz were both missing only the triple for the cycle.
Saenz had a tough outing in the circle, lasting only 1 1/3 innings after surrendering eight runs on nine hits. Freshman
Aly Garcia (Edinburg, Texas) pitched the next 1 1/3, giving up one run on one hit with two walks, and Aguilar closed out the game, earning the win (4-1). She pitched the final 4 1/3, allowing one run on three hits, with one walk, and she struck out five.
The Rattlers return to The Park to host Midwestern State on Friday for a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.
