SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The Newman softball team fell, 6-3, at No. 1 seed St. Mary's in the Heartland Conference Tournament on Thursday (April 30). The Rattlers scored six runs in the third to pull away for the win. The Jets play No. 2 seed Texas A&M International tomorrow (May 1) in the double eliminate tourney.
 
In the first inning, NU had a runner in scoring position after Mikayla Medbery reached on a walk and advanced to second on a stolen base, however, the Jets couldn't take advantage. Kaitlyn Buck worked a walk to start the second, but she was picked off to erase the base runner. The base running error would be costly as Jensen Cromer doubled to right field after the pickoff.
 
The Rattlers plated all six runs in the third inning. A single up the middle made it 1-0 StMU. Two more runs scored on a fielder's choice and then an error for the 3-0 edge. Back-to-back doubles plated two more runs to increase the advantage to 5-0. The final run scored on a single down the leftfield line for the 6-0 score.
 
To start the seventh inning, Breanna Pingry singled to left field, and Buck made it two straight singles. Kelsey Jones cut the deficit in half with a three-run homer to centerfield for a 6-3 score. After the homer, Cromer got her second hit of the game, a single to center. The NU rally came up short as a fielder's choice and double play ended the game.
 
Cromer went 2-for-3, and Jones was 1-for-3 with three RBI. Four of the five NU hits came in the seventh inning.
 
Cromer started in the circle, going the first 2 innings. Katie Ingles came in to pitch the final 4 innings and allowed one run on two hits with one strikeout.
 
The Jets play No. 2 seed Texas A&M International tomorrow (May 1) at 3 p.m. in San Antonio, Texas. The winner of the game plays at 6 p.m. and the loser is eliminated from the tournament. Live stats and video will be available.