WICHITA - The Newman baseball team dropped back-to-back games for just the second time this season, as No. 11 St. Mary's dealt the Jets a 5-0, 5-3 sweep Saturday afternoon at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium.

Game 1: St. Mary's 5, Newman 0
St. Mary's (23-5, 17-2 Heartland) starter Carl O'Neal was a thorn in Newman's (17-8, 12-7 Heartland) side throughout the game. O'Neal limited the Jets to just two hits through the first four innings of the game, while the Rattler offense took care of business at the plate. St. Mary's took a 3-0 first-inning lead, and never looked back. Solo runs in the fourth and the sixth was more than enough to suppport O'Neal as the Rattlers picked up the 5-0 win.

Newman starter Brandon Droge was forced out of the game with the bases loaded and one out in the second ining after surrendering three earned runs on four hits, thanks in part to four walks in 12 batters-faced.

O'Neal went the distance, and picked up the seven-inning complete game win. The Rattler ace threw 10 strikeouts and allowed just four Newman hits while holding the Jets scoreless.

Game 2: St. Mary's 5, Newman 3
Newman (17-9, 12-8 Heartland) drew first blood in Saturday's second game. The Jets used Tanner Vinson's lead-off walk, combined with a St. Mary's (24-5, 18-2 Heartland) fielding error, and a Ruben Marrero bunt single to load the bases for Tyler Hancock before the Rattlers could even record an out. Hancock walked, and forced Vinson across the plate for Newman's first run of the game. Shanan Engroff, who reached on the fielding error, scored when Corey Cowan hit into a double play, and gave the Jets a 2-0 lead after the first inning.

Newman starter Kyle Burkhardt held the Rattlers at bay through his time on the mound. Burkhardt threw seven strikeouts and allowed just two earned runs on four hits in his six inning of work. He was replaced in by Tony Gonzales in the seventh with the score tied at 2-2.

The Rattlers took their first lead of the game when Billy Richard scored after reaching on a lead-off walk, and took a brief 3-2 lead, but Newman answered in its at-bat. With one out in the bottom of the seventh, David Longmore singled through the left side, then moved to second on a wild pitch. Longmore eventually scord on Jordan Ollenberger's single to center field, and sent the game into the eighth tied at 2-2.

The St. Mary's bullpen took over from there, and shut down the Jets in the late innings. The Rattlers, meanwhile, notched single runs in the eighth and ninth, and earned the sweep with a 5-3 win.

Newman's five hits came from five different batters. Shanan Engroff and David Longmore each finished 1-for-4 with a run scored.

Tony Gonzales was saddled with the loss, and fell to 2-1 on the season.

With the sweep, the Jets fall to 17-9 on the season, and 12-7 in Heartland Conference play. The series returns to the Newman University campus on Sunday. First pitch is slated for 12 p.m. at McCarthy Field.