After navigating a rainsoaked weekend, San Marcos knocked off the New Braunfels Unicorns 4-2 Saturday to maintain their district lead and extend their winning streak to eight games.
It was a defensive slugfest through the first two innings of play as neither team gave up a run but combined to allow just two hits and one walk.
Heading into the top of the third inning, the Rattlers faced two outs following consecutive strikeouts.
A forced walk by Kutter Gage Webb and a single by Major Pellien put runners on the corners.
Starting pitcher Reagan Chomel showed off his offensive prowess with an RBI single towards the second baseman as the Rattlers broke the scoreless draw at 1-0.
First baseman Stephen Wilder followed the single with a RBI single of his own with a line drive towards left field to score Pellien and move pinch runner T Munoz over to third base to once again put runners on first and third.
San Marcos tacked on another run as a steal by Wilder allowed Munoz to score to put San Marcos up 3-0.
New Braunfels answered back in the bottom of the fourth inning as a leadoff double gave the Unicorns a runner in scoring position with no outs.
After stealing third base, the Unicorns were back on the scoreboard with an one out sac fly to cut the deficit down to 3-1.
In the top of the fifth inning, the Rattlers answered back as Pellien hit a solo home run towards left field to extend the lead at 4-1.
New Braunfels made one final push in the bottom of the 7th inning as the Unicorns pulled together three consecutive singles in a row to load the bases with no outs.
The Unicorns scored one run in as a groundout to put one run across and moved the runners to second and third with one out.
Though New Braunfels threatened to score again, San Marcos strung together the final two outs of the game as the Rattlers held on to the win at 4-2 ending on a groundout and a strikeout.
Starting pitcher Chomel received the win going six innings and allowing just three hits, two runs, one walk and throwing six strikeouts.
Tito Santos closed out the game throwing just one inning and allowing one hit, no runs, no walks, and throwing one strikeout.
Leading San Marcos in offense was the combination of both Pellien and Wilder.
Pellien went 3-4 with three hits including a solo home run with one RBI while Wilder was a perfect 3-3 with one RBI.
San Marcos returns to district play this week with a two-game showdown against the East Central Hornets.
The Rattlers look to avenge their lone district loss of the season when San Marcos dropped their district opener against the Hornets in a 2-0 defeat.
With East Central’s loss to Schertz Clemens on Tuesday, the Rattlers now have a two-game lead over the Hornets.
First pitch is 7 p.m. tonight in San Marcos.
