SAN ANTONIO — Strong pitching and timely hitting led the No. 23 St. Mary's University Baseball team to a 12-4 series-opening win in the Lone Star Conference Tournament on Saturday afternoon at Dickson Stadium.
Sophomore
Rob Gonzalez (San Antonio) recorded a career-high four hits, going 4-for-5 and scoring three runs with an RBI, while senior
Matt Gauna (San Antonio) and junior
Ethan Hughes (League City, Texas) combined to go 4-for-5 at the designated hitter spot with four RBI, two coming off each bat and three runs, all scored by Gauna.
Junior
Gabe Cook (San Antonio) improved to 7-1 on the season, giving up two runs on five hits with three strikeouts and only one walk. Junior
Brandon Vasquez (Round Rock, Texas) earned the second save of his career, and his first in 2026, pitching the final four innings. He didn't allow an earned run (two total) on three hits with a strikeout and three walks.
The Rattlers improve to 37-14 with the win, while the Buffaloes drop to 28-23. The win gives the Gold and Blue a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series with the next two games scheduled for 1 p.m. on Sunday and Monday (if needed).
The 16 hits for StMU are tied for the third-most this season, while the 13 runners left on base are tied for the second-most. The team left the bases loaded in both the second and fifth innings and were retired in order only in the eighth frame.
St. Mary's struck first, scoring one in the second inning. Gonzalez singled through the right side of the infield on the first pitch of the inning and scored on Gauna's double to centerfield.
The team added four runs in the fifth inning for a 5-0 advantage, but the Buffs had an immediate answer with four in the top of the sixth inning. Not to be outdone, the Rattlers responded with five in the bottom of the sixth and chipped in two more in the seventh for the 12-4 final score.
The Rattlers now have five wins in the Lone Star Conference tournament and have scored in double figures in four of the five.
The two teams meet on the diamond for game two of the best-of-three series on Sunday at 1 p.m. In the other two first-round games, Lubbock Christian blanked St. Edward's 10-0 in Austin, and Angelo State defeated Texas A&M-Kingsville 14-4.
