SAN ANTONIO – In the final game in the Battle of the Saints, St. Edward's softball team broke through with two runs but ultimately fell short, losing 5-2 against St. Mary's.
ARIANNA VIDALES opened the game with a leadoff walk and stole second but was caught in a rundown when St. Mary's third baseman Raegan Tennill faked the throw to first on a
KATIE DILLON grounder and threw behind Vidales for the first out.
Dillon stole second, then third. After St. Mary's starter Breanna Ford struck out
ELLA HUTZLER,
SLOANE HILL drew a walk, and Dillon scored on a wild pitch.
MEGAN MORRIS loaded the bases with a single up the middle, and Ford plunked
JERZIE PELHAM to score Hill before being replaced by Savannah Youngblood to get out of the inning.
St. Edward's starter Kaylen Padgett and the Hilltopper defense were solid through the first three scoreless innings. It was a three-up, three-down first for the Hilltopper defense, ending the inning on a double play. The Hilltoppers retired three of four in the second and retired the side in order in the third.
The Rattlers broke through with three runs in the fourth. A one-out walk and steal set up an RBI single up the middle by Holder, followed by a Reba Reyes RBI triple to right-center. Ericka Gomez grounded out to third, but an illegal pitch was called and waived off the play, and the Hilltopper defense followed with an error to score Reyes.
St. Mary's added two more in the fifth, opening the inning with back-to-back singles from Mackenzie Dugi and Lauren Gonzales, then advancing to second and third on a wild pitch. The Rattlers scored on a fielder's choice that didn't yield an out, then a double steal with runners on the corners.
LISETTE URQUIDEZ replaced Padgett and walked the first hitter she faced but retired the next three with two strikeouts to get out of the inning.
Vidales and Morris each contributed with a hit. Urquidez, who replaced Padgett, showcased a strong performance by striking out four batters and not surrendering any hits or runs during her time in the pitcher's circle.
With this loss, St. Edward's record drops to 4-18, with a 2-10 conference record. The Hilltoppers will return home to host Western New Mexico, starting with a doubleheader on Saturday.
