KINGSVILLE, Texas — The St. Mary's University Softball team split a doubleheader on Sunday at Texas A&M-Kingsville, dropping the opener 11-8 in the eighth inning after taking an 8-6 lead in the top of the inning, and bouncing back to avenge the earlier loss with a 12-9 game two win that snapped the Javelinas 14-game winning streak.
Fans of offense were treated to two high-scoring affairs as the Rattlers hit .403 on the day, and the Javelinas hit .385. The two teams combined to score 40 runs on 52 hits, playing their 16th extra-inning game in the 126-game series, which dates back to 1997.
The split moves St. Mary's to 25-18 overall and 17-13 in Lone Star Conference play, while TAMUK is now 26-12 on the year and 21-7 in the LSC.
The Rattlers return home to host Angelo State on Sunday for Senior Day. The first game will begin at 1 p.m., and the ceremony will happen after the conclusion of game two. StMU closes out the home portion of its schedule on Monday at noon against UT Permian Basin, as it plays its final six regular-season games on the road.
GAME ONE (TAMUK 11, StMU 8)
Texas A&M-Kingsville had an answer for every time St. Mary's scored in the first game, including a five-run eighth inning after the Rattlers had taken an 8-6 advantage in the top half of the inning.
The Javelinas scored three runs in the first, and the Rattlers plated four in the third. TAMUK scored two in the bottom to regain the lead and added one more in the fourth for the 6-4 lead. The Rattlers scored one in the fifth and one in the seventh to force extra innings, where the Javelinas got a walk-off grand slam from Lainee Ballin to win the game.
St. Mary's scored its eight runs on 13 hits, with
Bryley Westfahl (San Antonio),
Raegan Tennill (Corpus Christi, Texas),
Miah Corona (Eddy, Texas),
Abigail Dela Rosa (La Grange, Texas) and
Ariella Saenz (Pharr, Texas) all having two-hit games. Saenz also did everything she could to help her own cause in the circle, driving in three runs and collecting one of the team's five walks.
The Rattlers left a season-high 12 runners on base, while the Javelinas stranded eight in the high octane contest.
Saenz took the loss, moving to 11-6 on the year. She surrendered nine runs on 13 hits, walking three and striking out two.
Emery Aguilar (Georgetown, Texas) pitched 1/3 of an inning, and
Emily Ayala (San Antonio) gave up the winning hit with two runs and a walk.
GAME TWO (StMU 12, TAMUK 9)
The Rattlers plated at least one run in every inning except the first, bouncing back in a big way from the disappointment of game one, and the bats stayed hot as they scored 12 runs on 14 hits.
The Javelinas once again put up a big number late in the game, scoring five in the bottom of the sixth to cut it to a one-run game, 10-9, but the Rattlers scored two in the seventh, and Aguilar was able to work out of trouble, stranding two TAMUK players on base in the bottom half of the inning.
Corona tied her career-high with four hits in the nightcap, going 4-for-5 with two runs and two RBI. Dela Rosa was 3-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored, and freshman
Peyton Miers (San Antonio) drove in a career-high three RBI. Junior
Gabriela Banda (San Antonio) drew three walks and scored a team-high three runs.
Ayala pitched the first two innings, giving up two runs on three hits with a walk and a strikeout, while Aguilar pitched the final five innings, allowing four earned runs (seven total) on eight hits with two walks and three strikeouts to get the win and improve to 9-3 on the year.
