March 27, 2012
SAN ANGELO, Texas – Embracing a pinch-hitting role in the top of the seventh inning Tuesday night, St. Mary’s slugger Jared Gonzalez stepped to the plate and flexed her All-American muscle.
Gonzalez, a Daktronics honorable mention All-American a year ago, broke open a deadlocked battle with Angelo State with a three-run blast that spurred the Rattlers’ softball team to a 7-4 victory over the Rambelles in the front end of a doubleheader.
Angelo State battled back to win the night cap 4-1 before more than 200 fans.
In addition to Gonzalez (Jr., San Antonio), Shelly Lee Zawadzki (Jr., San Antonio) also homered in the opener, helping Emily Brittain (So., Corpus Christi, Texas) improve to 10-3 on the season with the win in the circle. Catcher Christina Rodriguez (Jr., San Antonio) drove in a pair of runs in the game.
The Rattlers (22-16) couldn’t keep their momentum going in Game 2, as their offense dried up against a revamped Angelo State (27-6) squad.
Instead, it was Angelo State with the late-game surge the second time around, scoring three runs in the bottom of the sixth to erase a 1-1 tie.
Gonzalez drove in the Rattlers’ lone run in the game on an RBI single in the fourth.
St. Mary’s will resume Heartland Conference play Friday, when it kicks off a three-game series with Texas A&M International at 3 p.m. at St. Mary’s Softball Field.