Box Score CANYON, Texas — The St. Mary's University Softball team couldn't pull off the upset of No. 21 and second-seeded UT Tyler in the opening round of the Lone Star Conference Tournament on Thursday afternoon, falling 10-2 in six innings on the West Texas A&M campus.
The Patriots (42-11) plated six runs on six hits in the bottom of the fourth for the first runs of the game. The Rattlers (30-22) immediately answered in the top of the fifth.
With one out,
Miah Corona (Eddy, Texas) singled to centerfield but was erased on a fielder's choice off the bat of
Abigail Dela Rosa (La Grange, Texas). Sophomore
Izabella Valdez (San Antonio) doubled to the gap in right center to score Dela Rosa from first. Junior
Samiya Johnson (Corpus Christi, Texas) hit a shot to center that was misplayed, allowing Valdez to score, and Johnson scampered to third for the 6-2 score.
UTT got one run back in the fifth and added three more in the sixth for the 10-2 mercy rule win.
Iliana Melendez (Sebrook, Texas),
Raegan Tennill (Corpus Christi), Corona and Valdez each had a hit for the Rattlers, with Valdez and Johnson each driving in a run.
Senior
Ariella Saenz (Pharr, Texas) snapped her four-game winning streak, dropping to 15-8 on the year. She allowed only two earned runs (six total) on 10 hits and struck out one. Junior
Emery Aguilar (Georgetown, Texas) and senior
Breanna Ford (Corpus Christi) both worked in relief.
The Rattlers will now wait on the NCAA Committee to see if their body of work was strong enough to earn an at-large bid to the NCAA South Central Regional. Selections will be announced on NCAA.com on Monday, May 11 at 10 a.m. (ET).
