San Antonio, Tex. - Oklahoma Christian (2-10, 2-8) took on the Rattlers of St. Mary's University (7-9, 6-9) in a Saturday doubleheader, making up games 2 and 3 of the four-game series.
 
Game 1
 
The Eagles got on the board early in an offensive battle for game 1 of the doubleheader. Antonio Sabala drew the lead off walk and was driven in on a double down the right-field line by Sloan Laird.
 
Ethan Box continued the Eagles' early momentum out of the gate with a 2-run home run to put the Eagles up 3-0 in the top of the first.
 
St. Mary's responded with two runs of their own, trimming the Eagles lead to 3-2.
 
After back-to-back singles by Jadan Boyce and Michael Buck in the top of the second, Sam Rodman put both runners in scoring position with a SAC Bunt. Antonio Sabala doubled down the right field line, scoring both runners and putting the Eagles up 5-2. Sabala would then score the Eagles' 6th run thanks to a single by Sloan Laird and then the fielder's choice RBI by Hunter Jones.
 
Once again, the Rattlers put up two runs to the Eagles three, putting them down 6-4 at the end of the second. STMU was then able to hold the Eagles scoreless for the next three innings while tacking on 5 runs of their own. The Eagles entered the top of the sixth trailing 9-6.
 
Sabala got the Eagles rolling once again with a solo home run in the sixth. Hunter Jones would then follow it up with a homer of his own to put the Eagles back in striking distance down 9-8.
 
After scoring once early in the bottom of the sixth, the Rattlers put the nail in the coffin with a grand slam by senior catcher Devin Goins. StMU led 14-8 at the end of the 6th.
 
OC would not go away and capitalized on a pair of St. Mary's errors by tacking on two runs. Hunter Jones tried to keep the rally alive with a single through the right side, driving in Sloan Laird and Antonio Sabala, but the Eagles' late efforts were not enough as they surrendered game 1 of the doubleheader to the Rattlers.
 
Game 2
 
Once again, the Eagles were the first to get on the board. After St. Mary's walked OC's first three batters in the top of the first, Justin Spencer hit a 3 RBI double down the right field line to give OC the early 3-0 lead.
 
OC would then add to their 3-run cushion in the top of the second when lead off batter Antonio Sabala singled through the right side to drive in Sam Rodman, who got on base after being hit by the pitch. Hunter Jones then drove in Sabala with a double of his own, growing the lead to 5. Before ending the inning, Justin Spencer would record his 4th RBI in a ground-out to second, bringing in Hunter Jones. After just an inning and a half of play, the Eagles led 7-0.
 
OC remained scoreless for the next three innings, while the Rattlers could tack on 2 runs in the bottom of the fourth, trimming their lead to 7-2.
 
The Eagles then entered the sixth inning, where they would score their final run of the game. Hunter Jones ignited the offense with his second double of the game and was then driven in on a double by Justin Spencer, who picked up a 5th RBI. The Eagles led 8-2, entering the bottom of the sixth.
 
St. Mary's put together a huge inning, where they clawed back into the game, scoring 7 runs and trailing by just 1 going into the seventh and final inning of the game.
 
After holding the Eagles scoreless in the top of the seventh, St. Mary's would complete the comeback by scoring their 8th run to close out the inning, 8-8.
 
Both teams dueled in the 8th and 9th extra innings, but OC came up just short of as STMU hit walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth.
 
Notes

• Antonio Sabala was the Eagles' leading run scorer in game one, with four runs to go along with three RBIs on a walk, double, and a home run.
• Justin Spencer had a big day at the plate, driving in five runs in game two.
• Hunter Jones also racked up the RBIs, picking up four in the first game of the doubleheader.

Up Next
 
The Eagles will close the series with the Rattlers on Sunday, February 25th, at 1 p.m.