SMHS BASEBALL
San Marcos battles Canyon with postseason bid on the line
The Rattlers took home another non-district win as San Marcos defeated the Austin High Maroons 8-3. San Marcos improves to 18-9-1 for the season while Austin High falls to 11-11-1.
The Rattlers struck first in the top of the first inning when Charlie Helgeson hit a two-run RBI single to give San Marcos a 2-0 lead.
The Maroons answered in the bottom of the second, scoring on a sacrifice fly before an RBI single tied the game at 2-2. Austin High later took the lead at 3-2 in the bottom of the third, scoring on a Rattler fielding error.
But San Marcos came out firing on all cylinders in the fourth inning. Facing a runner on first with one out, Landon Munoz hit an RBI triple, tying the game at 3-3.
Later in the same atbat, Jyuan Alonso hit a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded to score Munoz at third, giving San Marcos the lead at 4-3. Nate Velasquez then hit a two-run RBI single in left field, scoring Andrew Wilson and Miguel Garcia as the Rattlers extended their lead to 6-3.
San Marcos loaded up the bases in the top of the fifth before Colson Geesee drew a walk, scoring Elijah Ramirez at third.
The Rattlers tacked on their final run in the top of the sixth when Velasquez scored from third on a wild pitch, making it an 8-3 lead.
Austin High looked to make one final attempt at a comeback in the bottom of the seventh, but the Rattlers sat the Maroons down in order to seal the road win.
Cole Wiatrek earned the win on the mound, allowing four hits, two earned runs, one walk and striking out four batters.
Ronaldo Mendez Soto came in for relief, pitching through the fourth and fifth innings while allowing no hits, no runs, two walks and striking out two batters. Kane Hernandez earned the save, pitching the final two innings.
San Marcos returns to district play this week and will look to clinch a playoff berth as the Rattlers battle the rival New Braunfels Canyon Cougars in a two-game series.
The Cougars are coming off a two-game series against Cibolo Steele where Canyon was swept.
Canyon is currently 1.5 games behind for the final playoff spot which has San Marcos, Buda Johnson and Cibolo Steele all tied for second with identical 6-3 records. Clemens currently sits in first place with a 9-0 district record.
First pitch for the Rattlers starts at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Canyon High School.
DISTRICT STANDINGS Schertz Clemens 9-0 Buda Johnson 6-3 Cibolo Steele 6-3 San Marcos 6-3 NB Canyon 4-6
East Central 2-9 Converse Judson 0-9
