SMHS SOFTBALL
The Rattlers fell in their district home opener, losing to the Cibolo Steele Knights 132.
San Marcos falls to 6-9 overall and 1-1 in district play while Steele improves to 10-4-1 overall and 1-0 in district play. “Steele has got a top notch offense,” Head Coach Cathy Stoughton said. “[Jillian Gonzales] is the fifth-rated catcher in the country. … We had seven hits against a good pitcher, but we left nine on base. We still are a young team. When we play against teams like this that hit, we can’t afford to open the door, and every mistake that we make opens the door [for them to win].”
The Rattlers found themselves trailing 6-0 through the first four innings before San Marcos found their way onto the scoreboard.
In the bottom of the fourth, Selena Silva crushed a leadoff home run into center field to put the Rattlers on the board, now trailing 6-1.
Steele scored another run in the top of the fifth but the Rattlers answered back with an RBI single by Silva to make it a 7-2 game.
Stoughton was proud of the junior’s work both in the offseason and this season, with Silva hitting her fifth home run of the season.
“She’s worked on her mechanics,” Stoughton said. “She’s seeing the ball a lot better, and she’s stronger. … Her hands are faster so she’s able to see the ball more, wait on the ball a little bit longer, give it a little bit more time and she’s just been very clutch for us in the five-hole.”
But the Knights responded by scoring six unanswered runs en route to the 13-2 win over the Rattlers.
San Marcos will take a break from district to play their final tournament of the season at the San Marcos Spring Break Tournament.
With a young group, Stoughton is looking to take advantage of this weekend in building up her team.
“It’s good we have our tournament this weekend,” Stoughton said. “We can work out some kinks. I think for a lot of them too, they just need some confidence. We have a lot of good young athletes, and we have a freshman starting. She did a good job, you know, against a tough [Steele] offense. What the girls need to realize is that they have what it takes. They just have to apply it.
“We can’t do things in practice, and then not do it in the game. We have a great defensive practice, then we come in and we throw the ball around all in one play. We can’t do those things. But I’m not worried about them. I think tonight, they were really pressing. They were trying real hard, being the first home district game. Being young and trying to make too many things happen, you can’t do it all with one swing nor can you do it all with one play.”
The Rattlers will start tournament play at 9 a.m. Thursday against Shiner before playing Weimar at 2:30 p.m. San Marcos will then play Houston Kincaid at 10:45 a.m. Friday before playing Weimar again at 2:30 p.m.
San Marcos will wrap up tournament play Saturday against San Antonio Southwest.
Juliana Garcia delivers the pitch during the Rattlers home district game against Cibolo Steele. The Rattlers will play their final tournament of the season at home for the San Marcos Spring Break Tournament. Daily Record photo by Gerald Castillo
