San Antonio – Malissa Magee tossed six shutout innings and Arlynda Flores picked up three hits leading 15th-ranked St. Mary’s University to an 8-0 win against Lincoln University on the first day of the Heartland Conference Softball Championships at Rattler Field.

Magee (Sr., Katy) allowed just two hits, while striking out nine to improve to 34-6 overall this season. She is currently second in the nation in wins this season. The shutout was her school-record 18th. She allowed a one-out double in the first inning, then didn’t allow another runner past second base the rest of the way. Magee became the first pitcher in St. Mary’s history to record 300 strikeouts in a season, reaching the milestone in the first inning.

After leaving five baserunners on in the first two innings of the game, the Rattlers broke through in the third inning. Flores (So., Uvalde) doubled to lead off and came home on a single by Lindsay Barnes (Sr., San Antonio). One inning later they increased their lead. Nikki Flores (Jr., Friendswood) walked and one out later Sade Moore (Jr., Angleton) also walked. One out later Arlynda Flores singled to score Nikki Flores, giving the Rattlers a 3-0 lead.

The Rattlers put the game away in the fifth and six innings, scoring five runs to end the game. Sarah Cooper (Sr., Houston) smacked a two-run double in the fifth and two errors by Lincoln in the sixth helped pave the way for the Rattler run-rule win.

In other action on the first day of action at the Heartland Conference Tournament, Lincoln defeated Oklahoma Panhandle State in the first game, 6-1. Incarnate Word scored the first upset of the day, edging St. Edward’s, 2-1 to advance in the winner’s bracket. St. Edward’s bounced back to eliminate OPSU, 11-0 in a five-inning run-rule game.

With the win the Rattlers improved to 51-10 overall and advanced to the winner’s bracket championship game at noon against third-seed Incarnate Word.

Thursday’s Results
Game 1 – Lincoln 6, Oklahoma Panhandle State 1
Game 2 – Incarnate Word 2, St. Edward’s 1
Game 3 – St. Mary’s 8, Lincoln 0 (6 Inn.)
Game 4 – St. Edward’s 11, Oklahoma Panhandle State 0 (5 Inn.) – OPSU eliminated

Friday’s Schedule
Game 5 – #3 Incarnate Word vs. #1 St. Mary’s, noon
Game 6 – #4 Lincoln vs. #2 St. Edward’s, 3 p.m.
Game 7 – Loser, Game 5 vs. Winner, Game 6, 6 p.m.

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