March 26, 2012
WICHITA, Kan. – It was a game of multiples in the Rattlers’ win over Newman University to sweep the series Sunday.
St. Mary’s (25-5, 19-2) overtook the Jets (17-10, 12-9) in the final game of the three-game series Sunday in a 5-3 victory off 12 hits with a multitude of extra bases from three doubles and one triple from Rattler sluggers.
Seeing double at the plate gave Billy Richard (Jr., Schertz, Texas), M.P. Cokinos (Jr., Houston), Brandon Bates (Jr., Boerne, Texas) and Esteban Raygoza (Sr., San Antonio) all two hits apiece on the Jets’ three-pitcher rotation.
After the Rattlers hit into a double play that scored their first run in the third, they earned their second in the fifth off a pelted double into left field from Richard to bring the Rattlers in the lead, 2-0.
The Jets rallied in the sixth to score three runs to take the lead, 3-2, that saw a mound change for the Rattlers after Skye Severns’ (Sr., Claremont, Cali.) start that included eight strikeouts. The strong-arm was now Jeremy Narvaez (Sr., Corpus Christi, Texas), who was able to pitch out of the jam and into his second win of the season.
The Rattlers had to first regain the lead, however, to which they responded with power.
Down one in the top of the seventh, the Rattlers picked up two runs that would put them back in the lead and give them the power swings the Jets saw in the eighth.
Raygoza led the inning with a smash triple, his second of the season, followed by a pair of bases gained from a double from Mario Maldonado (Fr., San Antonio) to bring home two RBIs. The Rattlers made one last impression in their last at-bat with the Jets in the regular season with a pelted double from Cokinos into left field. The hit, which closed out the series with a 5-3 win, gave the Rattlers their third double to go along with a triple in the triumph.
The Jets saw closer Jonathan Perez (RS-Jr., San Antonio) once more as he picked up his 12th save of the season after earning his 11th in Game Two Saturday.
St. Mary’s will continue on the road in its next match-up against non-conference Tarleton State Wednesday in Stephenville, Texas at 3 p.m.