SAN ANTONIO — Despite all nine spots in the batting order reaching base at least once, the St. Mary's University Baseball team was unable to overcome a hot start by the West Texas A&M Buffaloes, dropping the opening game of the series, 14-9, on Friday night at Dickson Stadium.
The Rattlers (22-9) outhit the Buffs (22-9) 15-to-12 in the game, but stranded 13 runners on base, including leaving the bases loaded in both the seventh and ninth innings.
Senior
Matt Gauna (San Antonio) paced the team with four hits, going 4-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored, while junior
Dillon Lopez (San Antonio) was 3-for-5 with four RBI and two runs scored, hitting two home runs. Freshman
Blake Allen (Bulverde, Texas), senior
Garrett Brooks (Spring Branch, Texas) and sophomore
Rob Gonzalez (Pleasanton, Texas) each had two hits in the game.
Lopez hit a solo shot in the third and a two-run homer in the fourth, becoming the first Rattler this season to hit home runs in consecutive at bats, and the first since
Easton Parrish did so at Cameron on April 13, 2025. Parrish also left the yard in the third and fourth innings.
Senior
Joel Burgess (Atascocita, Texas) got his first start in the Gold and Blue and suffered his first loss of the season, moving to 4-1. He pitched 2 1/3 innings, giving up five runs on four hits with one walk and one strikeout.
Christian Molinar (San Antonio),
Braeden Brown (Sinton, Texas) and
Matthew Janecek (Houston) all worked in relief, with Janecek pitching the final 3 2/3 innings, giving up only two hits with a walk. He also fanned four.
The two teams have three games remaining in the series, with a doubleheader beginning on Saturday at 1 p.m., and concluding with a single game on Sunday starting at Noon.
