LAS VEGAS, Nev. - On the final day for the MSU-Billings Desert Stinger, the University of Mary Softball team took on California State University, San Bernardino to wrap up their trip to the desert.
 
It turned into a battle of bats between the teams as the Marauders (2-4) fell behind early, couldn't recover and eventually fell to the Coyotes 12-11 to end their Vegas trip on a somber note.
 
U-Mary got on the board early after a two-run single from captain Francine Villalobos snuck through the middle and drove in Nena Dudley and Alana Norman to give the Marauders a 2-0 advantage in the top of the first. Taylor Mendez wasn't going to leave Villalobos alone on the base paths and drove a pitch over the center field wall to put U-Mary up 4-0.
 
Unfortunately the Coyotes responded in kind during the bottom half of the first and started the rally with an RBI single down the left field line to cut into the Marauder lead at 4-1. Cal State San Bernardino didn't stop there and, after they drew a walk and brought in another run, teed off on the Marauders with a two-run double down the left field line and a two-run single to center field. When the dust finally settled, U-Mary found themselves down 6-4 after the first inning.
 
The Marauders couldn't get a runner to cross the plate in the second inning but the Coyotes added to their lead off a single to right field and a subsequent fielding error allowed a runner to score to put U-Mary further into the hole at 7-4.
 
Julissa Perales brought the big bat again and fired off a solo shot to right center to cut into the Coyote lead at 7-5, but the Marauders couldn't maintain the rally and left the bases loaded at the end of the inning.
 
Cal State San Bernardino fired off a solo homerun of their own in the bottom of the third to make the score 8-5 in favor of the Coyotes, but the Marauders worked their way out of a two-runner jam after Amber Gamboa threw out the runner attempting to steal third.
 
Mendez added to her RBI total with a sacrifice fly in the top of the fourth to score Dudley and reduce the lead back to two runs at 8-6, but the Coyotes poured the runs on in the bottom of the fifth after they scored one run off a wild pitch, another off a single to left field, a third off a fielder's choice, and one more off another wild pitch. After five innings the Marauders were down 12-6.
 
The top of the sixth started off strong for U-Mary as a lead off single from Dudley and another single from Villalobos put the runs at the corners with zero out. Perales drove Dudley in on a ground ball to second base but Villalobos was out on the play. Mendez added another single of her own to put runners at first and second, and Gamboa brought her big bat, too, as she blasted a shot out to right center and cut into the Coyote lead at 12-10 after six innings.
 
After a scoreless sixth from the Coyotes, the Marauders came up ready to kick-start another rally and it appeared that would be the case after Alana Norman singled down the left field line. Unfortunately she was out on a fielder's choice from Dudley and Villalobos popped out to second base, forcing the Marauders to don the rally caps with two out and Perales coming to the plate. She kept the inning going after sending a hard shot to first base and beating out the fielder to give the Marauders two on with two out and Mendez coming to the plate. Mendez proved her clutch ability as she singled to left center, scoring Dudley and moving Lex Hubbard, who pinch ran for Perales, to second base. Gamboa came up to the plate, ready for another big bat play, but her screaming ground ball was corralled by the shortstop, who delivered a clean throw to first and sent the Marauders back to Bismarck with a 2-4 record after the 12-11 loss.
 
Seven Marauders had multiple hits and Dudley who went 4-of-5 with four runs and four singles led them. Mendez and Perales both recorded three hits; Mendez finished 3-of-3 with a homerun and four RBI while Perales finished 3-of-5 with one homerun and two RBI. Gamboa proved her first team All-NSIC selection with a 2-of-5 performance with one homerun and three RBI.
 
The Marauders are on an 11-day hiatus but return to the diamond on Friday, February 27, for their annual trip to Clermont, Fla., for the Dot Richardson Spring Games.
 
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