San Marcos comes up short against No. 12 Smithson Valley, 3-2

San Marcos put itself in a position to take down No. 12 Smithson Valley on Friday. The Rattlers came up just short, though, falling to the Rangers at home, 3-2.

“We had the opportunity,” head coach Bryan Webb said. “We had a one-run deficit going into the last inning and we had a runner in scoring position. You know, it's just the mental thing right now and we've got to figure out a way to get (rid of) the mental block and go finish off a ballgame.”

The purple and white defense held the visitors in check for most of the game — Smithson Valley scored just one run through the first five innings. But San Marcos struggled to answer. The hosts loaded the bases in the bottom of the second couldn’t bring any of the runners home. They got another two runners on base in the bottom of the fifth, but the Rangers turned a double play retire the side and keep the Rattlers scoreless.

Smithson Valley added another two runs in the top of the sixth to extend its lead to 3-0. But San Marcos finally answered in the bottom of the inning. After the team struck out in its first at-bat, junior centerfielder Ryan Hix singled up the middle on the first pitch he saw and junior pinch hitter Ripp Soto followed it up with another base hit. Junior Gavin Gomez, who received the start on the mound for the purple and white and was later moved to third base, sent another single to right field to load the bases with one out.

Sunray Estrada connected for a two-RBI base hit two plate appearances later, sending Hix and Soto home, putting the game-tying run on second and the go-ahead run on first. But the Rattlers couldn’t keep the offense going as the Rangers escaped the inning still ahead, 3-2.

San Marcos kept Smithson Valley from scoring in the top of the seventh, though and needed just one run to keep the game going. A throwing error by the visitors allowed Johnny Pardo to reach first and round to second, putting the tying run in scoring position again. But the Rangers struck out the final batter of the day, clinching the 3-2 win.

The Rattlers will look to bounce back when they return to District 26-6A play on Tuesday, facing Buda Hays on the road.