Kelly Baker had three hits and drove in two runs, while freshman Michelle Soto came on in relief to save the day as St. Mary's University stayed alive at the Heartland Conference Tournament, defeating the Dustdevils of Texas A&M-International University, 6-4.
Soto (Fr., San Antonio) came on in relief of Arlynda Flores (Jr., Uvalde) with one out and the bases loaded in the sixth inning. She retired back-to-back batters in the sixth to keep the Rattlers in the lead, then allowed just one baserunner in the seventh to seal up the win. She picked up her second save of the season. Flores improved to 14-12 with the win.
After smashing her 11th homerun of the season in the first game of the day, Baker (So., Arlington) went 3-for-3 with a two-run single in the third inning. Chelsea Wenske (So., Shiner) smashed her seventh homerun of the game. Lia Provence (So., Bastrop) and Nikki Flores (Sr., Friendswood) each had two hits int he game.
With the win the Rattlers advance to a second elimination game on Friday at 2:30 p.m. against the University of Texas of the Permian Basin. St. Mary's is now 31-31 this season. TAMIU fell to 25-31 and saw their 2009 season come to an end.
In the first game of the day for the Rattlers Lea Padilla's RBI single in the top of the sixth inning gave the University of the Incarnate Word the lead for good and they held off St. Mary's for a 7-6 win. The game went back-and-forth with three ties and three lead changes. The Rattlers took an early 2-0 lead on an RBI single by in the second inning. UIW responded with a pair of runs in the top of the third. The teams traded runs over the next two innings. The Cardinals took a 5-3 lead on Padilla double and a sacrifice fly by Sarah Holub in the fifth. The Rattlers came right back with three runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 7-6 lead. Kelly Baker (So., Arlington) two-homerun was the big blow in the inning. That set up Padilla's heroics in the sixth.
2009 Heartland Conference Tournament Schedule
Thursday, April 30
Game 1 - (#5) Texas-Permian Basin 7, (#4) Texas A&M-International 2
Game 2 - (#3) Incarnate Word 7, (#2) St. Mary's 6
Game 3 - (#1) St. Edward's 2, (#5) Texas-Permian Basin o
Game 4 - (#2) St. Mary's vs. (#4) 6, Texas A&M-International 4 (TAMIU Eliminated)
Friday, May 1
Game 5 - (#1) St. Edward's vs. (#3) Incarnate Word, noon
Game 6 - (#5) Texas-Permian Basin vs. (#2) St. Mary's, 2:30 p.m.
Game 7 - Loser Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6, 5 p.m.
Saturday, May 2
Game 8 - Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 7, noon
Game 9 - Winner Game 8 vs. Loser Game 8, 2:30 p.m. (if necessary)