San Antonio – Looking to get back in the win column Saturday, the St. Mary’s softball team understandably turned to one of its longest-tenured players in senior outfielder Lauren Miller.

But it also took the arms of fast-rising freshmen Emily Brittain and Maricela Bissaro to seal the deal against Texas-Permian Basin, as the Lady Rattlers bounced back from Friday’s defeat with 9-2 and 3-1 victories on the road.

Miller produced five hits in six at-bats to go along with six RBIs over the two games, while Bissaro pitched a complete-game four-hitter in the 9-2 victory and Brittain gave up just two hits in four innings of relief to earn the victory.

St. Mary’s improved to 20-13 overall and 5-1 in Heartland Conference play.

The Rattlers controlled Game 1 from the start, jumping to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning and extending their advantage to 6-1 in the third.

Miller (Sr., Baytown, Texas) homered to lead off the seventh as St. Mary’s extended its lead to 9-2 in the frame.

Catcher Kelly Baker (Sr., Arlington, Texas), leftfielder Alex Garcia (So., San Antonio) and designated player Alyssa Alfaro (Sr., Eagle Pass, Texas) all added one RBI apiece, while third baseman Chelsea Wenske (Sr., Victoria, Texas) scored three runs on a 2-for-5 outing. Game 2 wasn’t quite as easy, as it took four innings for the Rattlers to break a scoreless deadlock.

It was Miller doing the damage then, doubling to left field to bring in Wenske for a 1-0 lead.

St. Mary’s made it 3-0 in the sixth, capitalizing on a triple from Baker and Miller’s double in back-to-back at-bats. Baker tripled to right-center to bring in Wenske, while Miller then doubled to right-center to drive in Baker.

UTPB notched a run in the bottom of the frame, but it wasn’t near enough.

Wenske scored twice in the game in a 2-for-2 effort, while Miller went 2 for 3 with two RBIs.

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