COLLEGE BASEBALL: Falcons continue to struggle offensively

The UTPB baseball team continued to struggle at the plate Saturday, scoring only one run on seven hits while losing 9-0 and 4-1 against St. Mary’s in a Heartland Conference doubleheader at Roden Field.

The Falcons (1-7 overall, 1-4 conference), who struck out 25 times and did not tally an extra-base hit, have scored only two runs in their last five games. Saturday’s opener was their third consecutive shutout loss, and they didn’t score in the second game until Brian Brademan hit a two-out single in the sixth inning.

UTPB aided the St. Mary’s offense by committing 10 fielding errors for the day. Leadoff hitter Billy Richard led the Rattlers (8-2, 8-0), finishing the day 4-for-10 with a home run, a double, four RBIs and three runs scored.

The Rattlers’ Carl O’Neal pitched a seven-inning complete game in the opener, allowing three hits and three walks while striking out seven. Then Game 2 starter Rene Solis fanned 14 batters in seven innings, holding UTPB to one run on three hits and two walks. 

>> St. Mary’s 9-4, UTPB 0-1 

GAME 1

St. Mary’s...... 206  010     0   —     9    10     0

UTPB.............. 000  000     0   —     0      3     7

Carl O’Neal and M.P. Cokinos, Scott Slusher (7). Kyle Cormier, Josh Wise (4), Tanner Neuberger (6) and Brian Brademan, Scott Hastings (6). W — O’Neal (3-0). L — Cormier (0-3). 2B — St. Mary’s: Billy Richard, Josh McElroy, Esteban Raygoza. HR — St. Mary’s: Tyler Migl.

———

GAME 2

St. Mary’s...... 000  021 100   —     4    11     1

UTPB.............. 000  001 000   —     1      4     3

Rene Solis, Jonathan Perez (8) and M.P. Cokinos. Jacob Ricossa, Isaac Diaz (6) and Brian Brademan. W — Solis (3-0). L — Ricossa (0-2). Sv. — Perez. 2B — St. Mary’s: Cokinos 2, Tyler Migl. 3B — St. Mary’s: Ivan Sigala. HR — St. Mary’s: Billy Richard.

Records — St. Mary’s 8-2 overall, 8-0 Heartland Conference; UTPB 1-7, 1-4.