OLLU SOFTBALL GOES 5-0 IN SAINTS FOUR SEASONS CLASSIC

SAN ANTONIO (Feb. 16, 2022) – The Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) softball team closed out the Saints Four Season Classic with a 5-0 mark to begin the 2022 season. The tournament on Feb. 11-13 was sponsored by long-time OLLU athletics supporter Four Seasons Promotions, LLC., and CEO Jeff Siegal, and it featured teams from Midway University, Oklahoma Wesleyan University and Texas A&M University-San Antonio.

Head Coach Bruce Lenington said, "It was a great start to the 2022 season. Different players stepped up in different ways in every game to help us win."

Game One

Vs. Oklahoma Wesleyan University (OKWU)

Cassandra Valdez (JR/Brownsville, Texas) made her 2022 debut as a Saint in the pitcher's circle. She went the duration of the game, allowing just one hit in the top of the fifth inning. Valdez struck out 11 batters in 16 at-bats. The one hit was a homer from OKWU's B. Knorr.

Joanna Gonzalez (SR/San Benito, Texas) started at the plate for the Saints with a home run. Valdez got on base on a single, while Ariel Montgomery (SR/Castroville, Texas) reached on a hit to centerfield. Valdez came home on a wild pitch, and with Montgomery still on base, Madison Nunn (SR/Cibolo, Texas) tripled to give the Saints the early 3-0 lead.

The Saints added three more runs in the second inning on three consecutive doubles from Gonzalez, Rebecca Duran (SR/Austin, Texas) and Valdez.

The fourth inning featured four more runs for the Saints to move them to 10-0. Duran hit a homer to left, and Montgomery followed soon after with one to right. In the bottom of the inning, the Eagles added their only run, and the game ended with the Saints winning 10-1.

Gonzalez, Duran, Montgomery and Nunn went 2-for-3, with Montgomery and Duran adding three RBIs each.

Game Two

Vs. Midland University – (MU)

Ciera Martinez (SR/San Antonio, Texas) needed one strikeout to reach her career pinnacle of 500, and she was able to do that on the second batter she faced. She would go on to pitch the entire five-inning game, facing 17 at-bats and striking out eight to earn the 8-0 win.

The Saints started the scoring frenzy in the second inning. Caitlin Terrazas (SR/Atascosa, Texas) started the rally with a double, and Nunn got a hit to left field. Kristee Salas (JR/Edinburg, Texas) homered, and the Saints took the 2-0 lead.

Gonzalez reached base on an MU error, and Valdez hit a double to send Gonzalez home. Valdez later scored on an error, and the Saints went up 4-0.

In the fifth, the Saints ended the game on the mercy rule in dramatic fashion. Nunn hit a walk-off grand slam with the bases loaded to send Terrazas, Taylor Gage (FR/Katy, Texas) and Valdez home. The Saints took the 8-0 win.

Nunn led the offense going 2-for-3, adding two runs and four RBIs.

Game Three

Vs. Midland University

Valdez started for the Saints and pitched all seven innings, striking out seven and allowing just one hit.

OLLU batted first, and both Duran and Gonzalez scored on errors from MU. Midland added one run on a wild pitch to close out the inning.

Rodriguez homered in the third inning and sent Nunn home to give the Saints the 4-1 lead.

In the fourth inning, with Duran on base, Montgomery homered, and the Saints took the 6-1 lead.

The Saints added two more runs in the fifth. Gage and Dreese scored, and after two more innings, the game ended with the Saints winning 8-1.

Gonzalez, Duran and Kayla Dreese (SR/San Antonio, Texas) went 2-for-3, Montgomery went 2-for-4, and Dominique Rodriguez (JR/Frisco, Texas) went 3-for-4.

Game Four

Vs. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Angela Ramirez (SR/Converse, Texas) started in the circle for the Saints and pitched 4.2 innings to earn the 3-2 win. She was relieved by Martinez and Valdez, who secured the save.

After a homer from Zornes, the Eagles got on the scoreboard first in the second inning. The Saints added three runs in the fourth inning. Valdez started the rally with a home run down the right-field line. Nunn added another homer and scored Deandra Vera (JR/Uvalde, Texas), and the Saints took a 3-1 lead.

OKWU threatened with a run in the fifth, but the Saints were able to hold on.

Nunn went 2-for-3, adding two RBIs and one run for the Saints.

Game Five

Vs. Midland University

Martinez started in the circle and pitched three innings while striking out three. Kelly Anne Salinas (JR/Laredo, Texas) and Valdez also pitched.

The Saints scored three runs to end out the first inning. With Gonzalez on base, Valdez hit a homer to right. Montgomery followed with a homer to the opposite side of the field, and the Saints took the 3-0 lead.

Midland homered to begin the second inning and then added three more runs in the third to take the 4-3 lead over the Saints. The team continued its momentum with another run in the fourth, moving them to 5-3.

The fifth inning was scoreless, and the Saints came back in the sixth. With Salas on base, Valdez hit a home run to tie the score at 5-5.

Terrazas got on base in the seventh inning, and Vera came in to run for her. Rodriguez got on base on an error from the pitcher, but Vera was soon thrown out after she was caught stealing. Duran was able to get on base, but Rodriguez was out trying to get back to second base. Dreese came up to bat with two outs in the inning and hit a walk-off homer that also scored Duran and gave the Saints the 7-5 win.

Valdez led the team on offense after going 4-for-4, adding four RBIs and two runs. Nunn went 2-for-4, and Dreese went 2-for-3, adding one run and two RBIs.

Overall Standouts

Nunn and Valdez led the way all tournament on offense. Nunn went 5-for-10, adding four runs, two homers and seven RBIs. Valdez went 5-for-11, adding five runs, one homer and three RBIs. Valdez logged two wins in 13.2 innings pitched. She struck out 22 while allowing one earned run. Gonzalez had 40 total chances with 30 putouts for a fielding percentage of 1.000.

What's next

The Saints will host NCAA D1 University of Texas at Tyler on Feb. 16 for a doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m.