Rattlers bounce back with blowout win over Clemens

San Marcos bounced back from last Friday’s loss to East Central with a dominating win over the Schertz-Clemens Buffaloes 17-5.

The Rattlers improve their record to 23-5 overall with a 9-3 district record which is tied for first place with New Braunfels despite San Marcos owning the tiebreaker.

San Marcos kicked off the game with a bang when centerfielder Tony Diaz hit a leadoff double followed by shortstop Kutter Gage Webb forcing a walk.

Following a sacrifice bunt by pitcher Reagan Chomel to move the runners up a base, third baseman Dylan Nunez hit a line-drive single into left field scoring Diaz putting the Rattlers up 1-0.

Elijah Ramirez followed up Nunez with a ground ball single into right field, scoring Webb as the lead was extended to 2-0.

Marco Duenez kept the offensive attack going for the Rattlers. The fielder connected with a ground ball single into left field to make it 3-0.

Jack Vasquez loaded up the bases for San Marcos one out before catcher Colson Geesee was hit by the pitch to earn the RBI , pushing the lead to 4-0.

Following a fly out in foul ground, Diaz hit a two-run RBI single up the middle before the Buffaloes could end the inning. At the end of the at-bat, San Marcos led 5-0.

Clemens answered back in their next at-bat by scoring three runs but was unable to retake the lead.

Following a scoreless second inning, the Rattlers were hungry for more runs.

San Marcos loaded the bases up with three consecutive singles by Ramirez, Duenez and Vasquez.

Clemens kept a run from scoring getting the first out on the fielder’s choice but San Marcos scored on the next at-bat when a passed by allowed Duenez to score from third to extend the lead 7-3.

After the passed ball, the Rattlers struck again. Clemens committed a fielding error on a San Marcos steal, allowing another run to score, extending the lead to 8-3.

In the fourth inning, San Marcos continued their offensive barrage.

With runners on first and second, Duenez connected with a two-run RBI double in left field putting the Rattlers up 10-3.

Landon Munoz forced the walk to put runners on first and second once more.

Juan Munos hit a ground ball single into right field but another Clemens error allowed Duenez and Munoz to score, pushing their lead to 12-3.

Clemens got two runs back in their next at-bat to make a 12-5 game, but San Marcos wasn’t done just yet.

In the top of the fifth inning, the Rattlers loaded up the bases with two outs.

Geesee once again was hit by the pitch to earn the RBI and extend the lead at 13-5.

After Munos forced a bases loaded walk to score another run, Diaz hit a two-run RBI single through the right side of the infield. Webb added the final run for the Rattler offense with a RBI single into center field as San Marcos made it 17-5.

Looking to end the game early via the runrule, San Marcos found themselves in trouble with the bases loaded and no outs.

But the situation hardly phased the Rattlers. Forced an infield fly for the first out, San Marcos turned the 5-3 double play when Nunez stepped on third for the force out and made the throw to Chomel at first to end the game.

Diaz and Duenez led the way for the Rattlers on offense. Diaz finished the game going 3-4 from the plate with four RBIs and one walk while Duenez was also 3-4 with three RBIs.

Chomel earned the win for San Marcos on the mound, throwing three innings while allowing five hits, three earned runs, two walks and striking out three batters.

Valario Prado and Caleb Gomez closed out the game in relief.

San Marcos will be back on the road this Friday in a showdown with the Cibolo Steele Knights.

First pitch is set for 7 p.m.

cmcwilliams @sanmarcosrecord.com Twitter: @ColtonBMc

District 27 Baseball Standings

San Marcos 9-3

New Braunfels 9-3

Clemens

6-5

Steele

6-5

East Central 5-7

Judson

1-11

Tuesday Scores

San Marcos 17, Clemens 5

New Braunfels 5, Steele 0

East Central 10, Judson 0*

*Game played on Monday

Friday Games

San Marcos @ Steele

East Central @ New Braunfels Clemens @ Judson