HS Baseball: Rattlers can't hold off Cavs

Submitted by admin on Wed, 02/27/2013 - 9:11pm
Cruz Rodriguez (12) is encouragd by teammate Jaylan Olivio (6) during the Rattlers’ 2-1 loss to Lake Travis Tuesday night at Rattler Field. San Marcos fell to 4-2-1 on the season with the loss (Photo by Gerald Castillo).
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The San Marcos Rattlers found out the hard way what it takes to beat a top-notch program in Tuesday night’s 2-1 home loss to former Class 4A state semifinalist Lake Travis.

A bad pick-off attempt at first, followed by an ill-advised and off-target throw to third base allowed Lake Travis’ to break a 1-1 tie in the top of the seventh, while LT pitcher Connor Mayes struck out the side in the bottom half of the inning to give the Cavs the one-run victory.

San Marcos (4-2-1) took the lead after David Hamilton laced a two-out, RBI triple into center field, scoring Cruz Rodriguez, who reached after a lead-off single. But it was the only hit SMHS posted, stranding five runners on base.

“I told them every game is determined by five or six plays and we just didn’t step up to the plate,” SMHS head coach Bryan Webb said. “We had too many strikeouts with runners in scoring position and against a team like Lake Travis and the caliber of teams we play, we have got to finish.”

The Cavs (3-5) evened the score in the top of the fourth when Nico Escalante connected for a lead-off triple, before scoring after a sacrifice fly from Tory Carter.

Lake Travis used four different pitchers in the win, collecting 11 strikeouts. San Marcos’ offense did little to help out starter Derrick Vasquez, who limited Lake Travis to one run on four hits through six innings.

“When you hold a team like Lake Travis to one run, you’d think you would win the game,” Webb said. “Derrick came out and pitched well, but we didn’t finish at the plate.”

Tuesday’s game marked the first of a tough stretch for the Rattlers, who play against another pair of state tournament teams in Calallen and Boerne-Champion in this weekend’s Comal ISD Tournament. SMHS opens the tournament Thursday night with a 7 p.m. game against Calallen at New Braunfels-Canyon’s Cougar Field.

“I set the schedule up to be a quiz up until we get to district and that’s when the test starts,” Webb said. “We are definitely going to be battled tested when it comes time for district.”