Jaguars win extra-inning thriller over OLLU and split doubleheader

SAN ANTONIO – Texas A&M University–San Antonio's softball team continued to achieve historic program firsts Saturday during a doubleheader split with intra-city, Red River Athletic Conference rival Our Lady of the Lake.

The Jaguars (7-13, 3-1 RRAC) opened the doubleheader with a thrilling, extra-inning 7-6 victory before the visiting Saints took game two by a score of 11-4 (box score).

In defeating Our Lady of the Lake, the Jaguars claimed their first-ever victory over the Saints (15-7, 3-3 RRAC) as well as A&M–San Antonio's first victory over a team receiving votes in the most recent NAIA Top 25 poll in school history.

The Jaguars' win over their crosstown rivals likely would not have happened without another program first. Sophomore first baseman Melissa Gonzalez tied the game when she hit the first grand slam in team history.

The Jaguars erased a four-run deficit with Gonzalez' historic grand slam with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning and then came from behind with two runs in the eighth inning to stun OLLU and win their third consecutive conference game.

Sophomore pitcher Jaclynn Lizama pitched the final four innings for the Jaguars, allowing a single run and scattering three hits to pick up the win in the circle. She pitched three shutout innings before the Saints briefly took a 6-5 lead in the top of the eighth.

Hitters Nos. 1 through 3 provided seven of the nine Jaguar hits in the game, with Andrea Ortiz going 3-for-5 and scoring two runs. Peyton Vasquez and Karina Guzman both went 2-for-5 with an RBI apiece.

The Saints took control early by scoring four runs in the top of the first inning, three of them provided by Caitlin Terrazas' home run. Guzman put the Jaguars on the board in the bottom half of the inning with an RBI double that scored Ortiz from first base.

OLLU and starting pitcher Cassandra Valdez kept the Jaguars at bay for several innings, though the home team was not without their chances. A&M–San Antonio loaded the bases in the third inning with one out but could not send a runner across home plate.

The Jaguars started to rally in the fifth inning as Vasquez and Ortiz knocked singles to lead off the frame. With one out, Sidney Garza drew a walk in a pinch-hit appearance, and two batters later, Gonzalez tied the game at 5-5 with one swing of the bat.

The teams then traded scoreless frames and forced extra innings. OLLU's Kayla Dreese led off the eighth inning with a single, stole second and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. Joanna Gonzalez then gave the Saints a 6-5 lead with an RBI double.

The Jaguars would not have been in the position to play extra innings without Melissa Gonzalez' grand slam, but it was Kameryn Casares' glove that saved the day for the home team. With two outs and OLLU's Joanna Gonzalez still on second, Kristee Salas drilled a 3-2 pitch toward the leftfield fence. Casares tracked the ball perfectly and made a difficult catch at the fence, thus ending the inning and bring the A&M–San Antonio crowd to its feet.

While they still trailed by one run, Casares' catch shifted momentum into the Jaguars' favor. Madeline Arellano led off the bottom of the eighth with a walk and pinch runner Vanessa Garces moved to second when Casares put down a sacrifice bunt. Vasquez then knocked a 1-0 pitch up the middle, scoring Garces with the tying run.

After a single by Ortiz and another walk to Garza, Gabby Mitchell came up with two outs and the bases loaded. She hit a hard-hit but playable ball to OLLU third baseman Jennifer Estrada, who misplayed the grounder and allowed Vasquez to score the winning run.

A transfer from Texas State, Valdez pitched the entire game for OLLU, throwing 174 pitches. With the win, the Jaguars claimed the program's first-ever triumph over a pitcher who transferred from an NCAA Division I institution. Valdez' 9-3 record entering the game was also the best by an opposing pitcher to start a contest the Jaguars would eventually win.

Despite the gut-wrenching and stunning defeat in the opener, the Saints showed their resiliency as they jumped out a 6-0 lead and were in control for the entirety of game two.

Freshman catcher Julia Pinzon went 2-for-4 with three RBIs for the Jaguars in game two. Her team avoid being "run-ruled" when she hit a two-RBI double in the sixth, scoring Vasquez and Ortiz.

OLLU's Ariel Montgomery picked up the win for the visitors, while freshman Bethany Garrett took the hard-luck loss for the Jaguars. Garrett pitched the first two innings and allowed only one earned run of the three she gave up, but remained the pitcher of record as the Saints never relinquished their lead.

A&M–San Antonio returns to action Tuesday when they visit defending RRAC Tournament champion Houston–Victoria. UHV (11-4, 4-0 RRAC) began the season as the No. 25-ranked team in the NAIA and received 35 votes in the most recent NAIA poll released last Wednesday. (OLLU received three votes in that poll.)

First pitch in game one of Tuesday's doubleheader in Victoria is scheduled for 1 p.m.