SMHS SOFTBAL
San Marcos fell to rival New Braunfels Canyon 9-3 after the Cougars scored seven unanswered runs in the final two innings.
The Rattlers fall to 9-18 for the season and 2-7 in district play.
“We were in it until the seventh,” Head Coach Cathy Stoughton said.
”In the top of the seventh, we gave up four runs and it was a tworun ball game. We played much better than we did last time [but] we just didn’t hit.
We had six hits tonight, but for us, if you’re gonna win a game in this district, you’ve got to put up more than three runs. When you’re facing a team that has a seasoned lineup, after they see your pitcher you go through the lineup a couple of times, the third time through the lineup, they’re making adjustments. That’s something that we need to be better at. We don’t make those adjustments and it hurts us.”
The Cougars struck first on an RBI groundout to take the early 1-0 lead in the top of the first.
In the next at-bat, the Rattlers put runners on first and second with one out before Arianna Flores hit an RBI single to score Keziah Rios from second, tying the game at 1-1.
Canyon went back in front in the top of the third, scoring on an RBI single to go up 2-1.
San Marcos answered in the bottom of the fifth.
With runners on first and second and one out, Emalyn Martinez connected with a RBI double off the wall in center to score Kendra Robledo, tying the game.
Following Martinez with runners on second and third with one out, Flores hit a hard line drive towards the shortstop which was dropped, allowing Rios to score and allowing San Marcos to take the lead 3-2.
The Cougars once again answered, hitting a tworun RBI double to retake the lead at 4-3. Canyon then tacked on another run following an RBI single, extending the Cougar lead to 5-3.
In the top of the seventh, Canyon added another run following an RBI double as San Marcos trailed 6-3.
The Cougars tacked on three more runs as the Rattler deficit grew to 9-3.
San Marcos attempted to make a last-inning comeback but were unable to score any runs as the Rattlers fell to the Cougars.
The Rattlers are back on the road Monday as San Marcos takes on Buda Johnson.
First pitch is set for 7 p.m. Monday at Buda Johnson.
