A late inning surge by 12^th-ranked St. Mary's led the Rattlers past Henderson State 10-5, Saturday at the Houston Astros Winter Invitational at Minute Maid Park.

St. Mary's broke a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the seventh and added seven more runs in the eighth-inning to record the win.

The Reddies, 2-3 on the year, struck first as Hunter Mayall led off the game with a walk followed by an infield single by Jordan Taylor. Hayden Lessenberry then singled to shallow centerfield to allow Mayall to score the first run of the game.

St. Mary's, 3-2 this season, would answer in the bottom half of the inning as Bryan Ramirez hit a solo home run to left field to tie the score at 1-1.

The Reddies would respond in the second as Tadarious Hawkins led off the frame with an infield single and advanced to second on a throwing error. Hawkins would steal third before Alex Morgan laid down a perfect bunt single to score Hawkins and give HSU a 2-1 advantage.

In the St. Mary's half of the third-inning, the Rattlers would benefit from three walks issued by Reddie starting pitcher Luke Tebbetts. Matt Smith would single to center field to plate a run and tie the score at 2-2.

St. Mary's would mount a threat in the bottom of the sixth-inning loading the bases with one out on a single and a pair of walks. However, relief pitcher Jay Hawley entered the game and got out of the jam forcing Jacob Marler to ground into an inning-ending double play.

In the seventh, Jack Kaiser's one-out single scored AJ Perez to give the Rattlers the one run advantage.

The Rattlers would then put together seven hits, scoring seven runs in the eight-inning to pull away from the Reddies.

Henderson would not go quietly in the top of the ninth as Luke McGuire would single and Mayall reached on a walk. Jordan Taylor then blasted a three-run home run over the left field fence for the final score.

Jay Hawley would be tabbed with the loss in relief. Hawley pitched 1 2/3 innings, striking out three batters while giving up one run on two hits.

Tebbetts pitched 5 1/3 innings striking out three batters allowing two runs on six hits.

St. Mary's totaled 15 hits in the game while Henderson collected eight safeties.

Taylor led the Reddie offense going 3-for-4 with three runs batted in.

Henderson will finish the three day event with a meeting with Tarleton State on Sunday with the first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m.