Huston-Tillotson sweeps doubleheader from Jaguars

AUSTIN – Texas A&M University–San Antonio's softball bats went quiet Tuesday as the Jaguars dropped a doubleheader at Huston-Tillotson.

The host Rams, who were celebrating Senior Day, walked off with a 2-1 win in the opener and then won game two 3-1.

The teams opted to use their starting pitchers throughout each game. A&M–San Antonio's Ebbie Rodrgiuez (Helotes, Texas / Angelina College) and Bethany Garrett (Georgetown, Texas / East View) pitched well for the Jaguars but were not given enough run support.

The Jaguars begin a four-game road trip to the Piney Woods and Louisiana this weekend as they visit Texas A&M–Texarkana on Friday before heading to LSU–Alexandria on Saturday. Friday's doubleheader at No. 13 A&M–Texarkana is scheduled for noon.

GAME ONE: Huston-Tillotson 2, Jaguars 1

After being held scoreless for six innings, the Jaguars tied the game in the top of the seventh only to see the Rams win the game in the bottom half of the inning.

Briana Tristan's two-out single to left field scored Willow Houston from second base with the winning run as Houston barely beat the throw from A&M–San Antonio leftfielder Sidney Garza (San Antonio, Texas / Ranger College) to catcher Julia Pinzon (San Antonio, Texas / Madison).

Rodriguez scattered seven hits and allowed only one earned run over six and two-thirds innings for the Jaguars (20-23, 13-9 RRAC). An error in the outfield in the bottom of the second inning gave the Rams an unearned run.

Kameryn Casares (Edinburg, Texas / Vela) tied the game for the Jaguars in the top of the seventh with an RBI single that scored Britney Garcia (Weslaco, Texas / Coastal Bend College). Garcia had led off the inning with a single and moved to second base on Garza's sacrifice bunt.

GAME TWO: Huston-Tillotson 3, Jaguars 1

A two-out, two-RBI single in the bottom of the first was the all the Rams needed as they completed a sweep and avenge their two February losses in San Antonio.

A&M–San Antonio's Caty Rangel (Austin, Texas / Ranger College) had two of the three Jaguar hits in the game while playing in front of a contingent of family and friends in her hometown.

The Jaguars loaded the bases with no outs in the third inning, but only got one run on Karina Guzman's (Edinburg, Texas / Vela) sacrifice fly that scored Peyton Vasquez (Porter, Texas / Cisco College). HT pitcher Anna McFarlane then got a popup out and a flyout to end the inning.

A&M–San Antonio again loaded the bases with one out in the fifth inning, but a popout and a flyout again snuffed the Jaguar rally.

Garrett struck out four batters over six innings for the Jaguars. The Rams added another run in the bottom of the sixth inning on a sacrifice bunt.