February 4, 2006
By Chad Peters
San Antonio — The Lady Rattlers concluded the 2nd Annual St. Mary’s University College Classic on Saturday, losing a pair of contests to finish the tournament with a 2-3 record to begin the season.
St. Mary’s lost its first game on Saturday to Southeastern Oklahoma State University, 3-1, after taking an early 1-0 lead in the first inning. The Lady Rattlers then lost another close battle, falling to Midwestern State University 1-0.
On Friday, the Lady Rattlers split their contests after securing a 4-3 victory over Cameron University following a late-inning rally. Trailing 3-0 the majority of the game, St. Mary’s scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to take the lead for good.
Earlier that day, St. Mary’s fell to Abilene Christian 1-0.
The Lady Rattlers began the tournament with a 3-1 comeback victory against Southern Arkansas on Thursday. St. Mary’s tied the game in the top of the seventh inning, and junior infielder Mary K Pederson gave the Rattlers the win with a two-run shot over the left field wall later that inning.
Lady Rattlers sophomore pitcher Malissa Magee left the tournament with a 2-1 record.
St. Mary’s, which entered the season as the preseason favorites to repeat as Heartland Conference champs, will resume in a doubleheader next Saturday, taking on Texas Southern and Texas A&M-Prairie View in the Texas A&M-Kingsville Tournament in Kingsville, Texas.