Sports – Page 17 – Lake Weekly

No. 5 Softball Earns Fourth Straight RRAC Regular Season Crown

For the fourth consecutive season, the Our Lady of the Lake (OLLU) softball team has earned the Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC) regular season championship. The Saints swept the Texas A&M San Antonio Jaguars on Saturday to move to 27-1 in conference play and 41-7 overall.

In game one, the Saints struck early with the long ball as Alyssa Flores launched a three-run homerun over the centerfield fence, giving OLLU a 3-0 lead. In the top of the second, the Jaguars took advantage of an OLLU error and manufactured a run to cut the OLLU lead to two.

With one out in the bottom of the second, Kristee Salas singled up the middle and would move into scoring position after a sacrifice from Kayla Rogers. Lilly Rocha plated Salas with a single to left field, extending the OLLU lead to 4-1.

In the fourth, TAMUSA continued to chp away at the OLLU lead as the Jaguars scored another run with the help of an OLLU error that extended the inning.

Grace Ross hit her 10th homerun of the year in the fifth inning, a solo shot, to give the Saints a 5-2 lead.

The Jaguars brought the tying run to the plate in the seventh but only managed to get one run. OLLU went on to win 5-3 over TAMUSA.

Ava Hernandez went the distance to earn her 20th victory of the season. Salas finished the game 2-for-2 at the plate while Flores led the way with three RBI.

Game two saw a dominant pitching performance from Annika Litterio. The right-hander gave up a single to lead off the game but went on to retire 19 consecuive batters.

Salas started the scoring for the Saints as she hit her ninth homer of the season in the second inning, a two-run shot, scoring Lexie Escamilla who reached on a walk. Following the Salas blast, Rogers drew a walk and stole second base, moving into scoring position for Alyssa Garcia. Garcia singled to right field to bring home Rogers, giving OLLU the 3-0 lead.

Caitlin Terrazas got things going for the Saints in the fifth with a single to right field. Hernandez came on to run for Terrazas and would score on a Flores single to centerfield. Ross picked up another RBI on the day as she singled home Flores to give OLLU a 6-0 lead. Salas joined Ross in the double-figure homerun category as she launched her second of the game and 10th of the season in the fifth to make it 7-0 OLLU. Salas drove in four runs in the victory.

Litterio struck out the first batter in the seventh before giving up a single. She struck out the final two batters she faced to end the game. Litterio finished with eight strikeouts while surrending just two hits.

The Saints will head to the RRAC Softball Championships in Alexandria, Louisiana. The tournament is set to begin on May 2.

For the latest news, updates, and information on the OLLU Saints, fans can visit ollusaintsathletics.com. Fans can also stay up to date on the latest Saints news by following @ollusaintsathletics on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

No. 5 Men’s Tennis Punches Ticket to NAIA Championships

The Our Lady of the Lake (OLLU) men’s tennis team secured its spot in the 2025 NAIA Men’s Tennis Championships on Saturday as the Saints took down No. 8 Xavier in the finals of the NAIA Unaffiliated Grouping Tournament. The win is the 19th in a row for the No. 5 ranked Saints.

The Saints got past Hope International and Texas A&M Texarkana on their way to the finals, defeating both by a score of 4-0.

OLLU claimed the doubles point with two 6-1 victories at the No. 2 and No. 3 lines, taking a 1-0 lead into singles action.

Aymeric Bruno was the first off the court in singles play as he gave the Saints a 2-0 lead, winning 6-1, 6-3 at the No. 3 line. Freshman Matis Nuziere stepped up all week for the Saints and none bigger than his 6-4, 7-6 victory at the No. 5 line to put the Saints up 3-0, just one point away from clinching.

Joao Santos clinched the match and championship for the Saints with a 6-1, 6-4 win at the No. 4 line.

The Saints move to 19-1 on the season and await seeding information for next months Championship.

Women’s Tennis Captures Programs First Conference Championship

The Our Lady of the Lake (OLLU) women’s tennis team captures its first-ever Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC) Championship on Saturday as the Saints defeated the No. 5 seed Louisiana Christian University at Blossom Tennis Center. The Saints were the tournaments sixth seed and the Championship earned them a spot in next month’s NAIA Women’s Tennis Championships in Mobile, Alabama.

In the quarterfinal round of the tournament, the Saints took out the third-seed and No. 13 team in the country in Dillard by a score of 4-2. OLLU carried the momentum into the semifinals where they took on No. 12 Xavier for a spot in the championship match. The Saints battled and took down the Gold Nuggets.

In the championship match, the Saints earned a pair of 6-4 victories at the No. 2 and No. 3 doubles lines to take the 1-0 lead in the match.

At No. 3 singles, Marie Peters got the Saints a point closer to a conference championship as she won 6-2, 6-1. Alexandra Mille took a 1-0 advantage in her match at No. 2 singles, winning 6-4. Mille went on to win the second, 7-5, making it 3-2 in favor of OLLU.

Sofia Gonzalez de le Vega punched the Saints’ ticket to the NAIA National Championships with a 7-6, 6-3 victory at No. 4 singles.

The Saints await seeding information for the NAIA Championships.

OLLU Spirit Captures NCA NAIA Gameday National Championship

The Our Lady of the Lake (OLLU) Spirit squad will return home to San Antonio with a new piece of hardware as the Saints captured the 2025 National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) NAIA Game Day Division National Championship this week.

“To be crowned the first-ever NCA NAIA National Champion in the Game Day Division is a monumental and historic achievement,” said head spirit coach, Crystal Brock. “We now stand as the second university in San Antonio to ever earn an NCA Championship, the only campus in the city to win in the Game Day Division, and the first NAIA program in the nation to claim this title. Just last year, we competed in the Open Game Day Division against DII, DIII, and JUCO teams. To now be recognized with our own division speaks volumes—not just about our ability to win, but about our courage to lead and stand tall as pioneers.”

The Saints earned the top spot in the prelims, after turning in a score of 83.5/100 after a two point deduction. In the finals, OLLU turned in a much cleaner routine, having just .25 deducted and earning a final score of 83.433 to earn their first-ever National Championship.

“There are countless lessons from this journey, but the greatest have been to be courageous, fearless, true to ourselves, and to thrive in the authenticity of the unknown,” continued Brock. “We have been the underdogs since our program began in 2021—starting from the ground up, working tirelessly to catch up to programs that have been established for years. Every late night, every fall, every tear, every frustration—those moments now live in the past, seen only through the lens of our victory.”

Coach Brock went on to say:

I want to extend my deepest gratitude to our incredible assistant coaches—Joe Gonzalez, Sean Flores, Nick Aguon—and our graduate assistant, Madicela Perez. Your dedication, passion, and unwavering commitment to our team and our mission have been instrumental in this journey. We truly could not have achieved this without your time, effort, and belief in what we’re building.

To our administration—thank you for all you do for our student-athletes. We see and value the work you do behind the scenes to keep this program running strong, and we are deeply grateful for your continued support.

A special thank you to Haley Holzem (Assistant AD), Madicela Perez (former dancer, now GA), and Madison Smith (senior)—the last remaining travelers from our NCA/NDA debut in 2021. You’ve been here from the very start, and to stand beside you now as national champions is nothing short of a dream come true. Thank you for believing in me from day one and for truly Living the Legacy. What a ride it’s been.

Domenic Martinez Tosses Gem as Saints Defeat No. 15 Houston-Victoria

The Our Lady of the Lake (OLLU) baseball team got a dominant start from left-hander Domenic Martinez on Tuesday night as the Saints took down the No. 15-ranked Houston-Victoria Jaguars in their final non-conference game of the season. Martinez tossed six innings, allowing just one hit while striking out eight.

Martinez got things going early as he recorded three strikeouts in the top of the first inning. The OLLU offense struck in the bottom of the first to give Martinez the early 1-0 lead after a passed ball allowed Carlos Gusman to score.

The only blemish in the box score for Martinez came in the top of the second after he issued a leadoff walk that later came around to score on a sacrifice fly to even the game at one.

Isaac Davila reached in the third on a one-out single to left field. Davila would advance to second on a failed pickoff attempt, putting him in scoring position with Gusman coming to the plate. With two outs, Gusman shot a ball through the right side, scoring Davila to give the Saints the lead back. The Jaguars had a chance to get out of the inning and limit damage but a dropped foul ball allowed Jack Kalisky to see another pitch. Kalisky reached on a single to the shortstop, putting runners at first and second with two away. Gavin Machado sent a ball down the right field line that went for a triple, allowing Gusman and Kalisky to score, extending the OLLU lead to 4-1.

OLLU struck again in the fifth after they loaded the bases with one out, forcing UHV to make their first pitching change of the night. After an OLLU strikeout, Christian Martinez brought Drew Saucedo home with a single to third base, making it a 5-1 contest through five innings.

In the sixth, both lineups were retired in order and that would be the end of the night for Martinez. The lefty gave way to Hector Rogerio III in the seventh and Rogerio III retired his first two batters before allowing his first baserunner. With a runner on first, Rogerio III induced a flyout to centerfield to end the inning.

Gusman reached base for the third time in the seventh with his third single of the night. Gusman would come around to score his third run of the game after Machado collected his second triple of the game. Benjamyn Hovda came on to run for Machado and scored on a UHV error, the Saints’ seventh run of the game. Christian Martinez, who reached on the error came around to score when Joshua Milton came onto to pinch hit and drove a ball into right field to make it 8-1 in favor of the Saints.

Tyler Pauly came on in the ninth to close out the game for OLLU and the righty closed the door, securing the 8-1 victory for the Saints.

Kalisky and Machado each finished the night with two hits. Machado led the way for the Saints with three RBI.

OLLU will play their final home series of the season this week as they host Jarvis Christian on Thursday and Friday.

No. 10 Softball Takes Three of Four in Pivotal RRAC Matchups

The No. 10 ranked Our Lady of the Lake (OLLU) softball team welcomed two top-25 programs to San Antonio this weekend in No. 6 LSU Aleandria and Texas A&M Texarkana who is tied for 23rd in the latest NAIA Coaches’ Poll. The Saints came away with three wins on the weekend, dropping a game to LSUA on Friday.

The Saints move to 39-7 overall and 25-1 in Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC) action. The loss to LSUA was the first regular season RRAC loss for the Saints since the 2022 season.

In the opener against the Generals, the Saints’ starting pitcher Ava Hernandez was as impressive as she has been all season. The sophomore held a dangerous lineup to just two hits while striking out eight.

The bottom of the second inning presented a scoring opportunity for the Saints as Caitlin Terrazas reached on a one-out single. Hernandez reached on an error and the bases became loaded with Saints after Kristee Salas singled. The LSUA defense escaped the jam, holding OLLU scoreless in the inning.

The Generals threatened in the top of the fourth inning, putting two runners on base but Hernandez left them there and sent the game to the bottom half of the fourth, still tied 0-0. Just as Terrazas did in the second, she led the inning off with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Hernandez. Ayanna Trejo came onto run for Terrazas and eventually stole third. Kayla Rogers came to the plate and delivered the games first run with a single through the left side to score Trejo.

Salas added another run to the Saints tally in the sixth with her eighth homerun of the season.

Hernandez retired the Generals in order in the seventh, giving them their first RRAC loss of the season.

Terrazas and Salas each finished the game with two hits.

The Saints offense came out swinging in the bottom of the first of game two, taking an early 3-0 lead on RBI singles from Grace Ross and Alyssa Flores. Hernandez added the Saints’ final run of the inning when she grounded out to third, scoring Ross.

A two-run homerun by the Generals in the second inning made it a one-run game. LSUA blew things open in the third, plating five runs on four hits to take a 7-3 advantage over the Saints. The fifth inning saw the Generals add three more runs to the scoreboard via a three-run blast, making it 10-3.

OLLU added one in the sixth inning to make it 10-4 but that is as close as they would get to the Generals.

On Saturday, the Saints looked to bounce back against the Texas A&M Texarkana Eagles, another top-25 RRAC opponent.

Hernandez was back in the circle for the Saints and she made her presence felt immediately, striking out two of the first three batters she faced to open the game. The Alice, Texas native helped her own cause in the bottom of the first as she ripped a double off the centerfield wall to score Yezenia Perez and Lilly Rocha.

In the top of the second, Hernandez added three strikeouts to make it five over two innings of work.

Ross singled in the third and gave way to pinch runner, Emilia Salinas. After Salinas stole second, Terrazas plated her with a double to centerfield to extend the OLLU lead to 3-0.

The Eagles added two runs in the fourth to make it a one run game.

Lesia Escamilla led off the Saints’ half of the fourth with a single to left field. Trejo came on to pinch run and moved herself into scoring position with a stolen base. After a sacrifice bunt from Salas, a sacrifice from Rogers scored Trejo to give the Saints a 4-2 lead.

Rocha launched her ninth homerun of the season, a two-run shot, giving OLLU a 6-2 advantage over the Eagles. Later in the inning, Ross plated Rogers to extend the lead to 7-2.

Hernandez ended the game just as she began it, striking out two of three batters in the inning to slam the door on the Eagles.

In the Saints’ final game of the weekend, Annika Litterio struck out six of the first seven batters she faced. It wasn’t until the fourth frame that the Eagles would get to Litterio. A two-out RBI double from TAMUT broke the scoreless tie, giving the Eagles a 1-0 lead.

Flores reached in the bottom of the fourth with a leadoff single down the right field line. Reanna Aguirre came on to run for Flores and moved up on a single by Escamilla. Salas reached on a fielders choice to put runners at first and third. Salas later stole second, putting runners at second and third with Rogers coming to the plate. Rogers delivered once again when the Saints needed it most, roping a double into centerfield to score Salas and Aguirre to put OLLU on top.

With two outs in the sixth, Rocha drew a walk, giving Caitlin Casas an opportunity to add to the OLLU lead. Casas answered the call with a double to right field, scoring Rocha from first base to add an insurance run for the Saints.

Hernandez, who came on for Litterio in the sixth, earned her first save of the season as sat the Eagles down in order to end the game. Litterio finished with 12 strikeouts in 5.2 innings of work.

OLLU will close out the regular season on Saturday, April 19 as they host Texas A&M San Antonio at the OLLU Softball Field. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.

Lenington Becomes Programs Winningest Head Coach as Saints Sweep Houston-Victoria

The No. 10 Our Lady of the Lake (OLLU) softball team picked up their fifth consecutive sweep to extend their winning streak to 10 games. The Saints run-ruled Houston-Victoria today with scored of 13-0 and 10-2. The sweep improves the Saints’ record to 36-6 and 22-0 in Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC) action. With the 13-0 win in game one, head coach Bruce Lenington earned win No. 226, making him the all-time winningest head coach in program history. Lenington holds an overall record of 226-62 at OLLU with a 112-11 mark in RRAC play.

In game one of the doubleheader, the Saints jumped out to an early 3-0 lead after Caitlin Terrazas roped a three-RBI double to centerfield in the bottom of the first. Grace Ross launched her eighth homerun of the season in the bottom of the second, a three-run shot to extend the OLLU lead to 6-0. Alyssa Flores went back-to-back in the inning with a solo shot, to make it 7-0 in favor of the Saints. With the bases empty, Terrezas was hit by a pitch and lifted for pinch runner, Brianna Ramirez. Ava Hernandez doubled to score Ramirez, making it 8-0 after two innings.

The Saints added three runs in the third on consecutive sacrifice flys from Lilly Rocha and Yezenia Perez. Flores drove in another run, plating Ross to make it 11-0 OLLU. Lexie Escamilla recorded an RBI in the fourth, scoring Kristee Salas who led the inning off with a single to centerfield. An error from the Houston-Victoria defense allowed the Saints to score their 13th run of the game.

After an error to lead off the top of the fifth inning, Hernandez slammed the door, striking out the side. Hernandez earned the win, allowing just two hits.

Ross and Terrazas each finished the game with three RBI. Flores had three hits in the game, extending her hitting streak to 16 games.

In the second game of the series, the OLLU offense scored in five of the six innings played, but it was the Jaguars the struck first with a solo homerun in the top of the first inning to take the early 1-0 lead.

Hernandez put OLLU ahead in the bottom of the first with her third homerun of the season, driving in Flores and Rocha to give the Saints a 3-1 lead.

Houston-Victoria closed the gap in the second inning with their second solo homerun of the game, making it 3-2.

Ross hit her ninth homerun of the year in the home half of the second inning to extend the OLLU lead to 5-2. After back-to-back singles from Salas and Escamilla, Kayla Rogers grounded out, scoring Salas to make it 6-2. With runners on first and third, Rocha swiped second, allowing Escamilla to score the Saints seventh run of the game.

Starting pitcher, Annika Litterio settled in after the two solo home runs, but gave way to reliever Valeria Vielma in the fourth. With two runner aboard, Vielma induced a fly out to centerfield to end the Jaguars threat.

After Vielma retired Houston-Victoria in order in the fifth, the Saints added another run via a sacrifice fly from Alyssa Garcia, making the score 8-2.

Caitlin Casas led off the sixth with a single to centerfield and came around to score after a double from Ross off the left field wall. With the bases loaded, Rogers singled to centerfield to score Hernandez ending the game via the eight-run rule.

Ross and Hernandez each drove in three runs in the win. Litterio earned the win in the circle, tossing 3.2 innings, allowing just two runs on two hits.

The Saints will return to the diamond on Friday as they welcome No. 6 LSU Alexandria. The doubleheader will begin at 12:00 p.m.

Litterio Tosses No-Hitter as Saints Dominate Midweek Matchups

The Our Lady of the Lake (OLLU) softball team remians perfect in Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC) action as the Saints earned sweeps over Texas College and Jarvis Christian University this week. The Saints overall record improved to 32-6 and 18-0 in conference. OLLU posted four shutouts in the sweeps of the Steer and Bulldogs.

In an 8-0 win over Texas College in game one, Ava Hernandez and Alyssa Garvia each went 3-for-3 at the plate. Five other Saints registered two hits in the five-inning contest. Garcia and Kayla Rogers each drive in two runs while four other Saints knocked in a run including a solo homerun from Alyssa Flores.

Hernandez picked up the win in the opener, tossing a complete game, allowing just two hits and striking out nine batters.

The Saints tied their season-high with 18 hits in the contest.

Game two against the Steer ended in a 17-0 result, the second-highest run total for the Saints this season.

Tania Rodriguez had a career day at the plate, going 4-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored. Lilly Rocha launched her team-leading eighth homerun in the win. Yezenia Perez also had a homerun in the game, her third of the saeson. Perez finished 2-for-2 at the dish with a run scored.

Hernandez had a two-RBI double while Kristee Salas, Caitlin Casas, and Emilia Salinas each recorded two hits.

Valeria Vielma earned the win in the circle, tossing three innings, allowing no hits and striking out five.

On Wednesday against Jarvis Christian, the OLLU bats quited a bit, but the Saints got outstanding pitching performances from Annika Litterio and Hernandez.

In the opener against the Bulldogs, Litterio was dominant as she tossed her third no-hitter of the season. Litterio struck out a season-high 16 batters in the win.

Flores and Hernandez were responsible for the Saints’ three runs as Flores drove in two and Hernandez one.

Four Saints recorded a multi-hit game.

In the second game of the doubleheader, Hernandez tossed her second complete game in as many days, allowing just three hits and striking out four.

OLLU scattered seven hits while scoring four runs against the Bulldogs. Grace Ross finished with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate while Lexie Escamilla recorded two RBI.

The Saints will return to the diamond on Sunday, April 6 as they travel to Hobbs, New Mexico to take on the University of the Southwest. First pitch is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. CT.

Litterio Tosses No-Hitter as Saints Dominate Midweek Matchups

Hernandez picked up the win in the opener, tossing a complete game, allowing just two hits and striking out nine batters.

The Saints tied their season-high with 18 hits in the contest.

Game two against the Steer ended in a 17-0 result, the second-highest run total for the Saints this season.

Hernandez had a two-RBI double while Kristee Salas, Caitlin Casas, and Emilia Salinas each recorded two hits.

Valeria Vielma earned the win in the circle, tossing three innings, allowing no hits and striking out five.

On Wednesday against Jarvis Christian, the OLLU bats quited a bit, but the Saints got outstanding pitching performances from Annika Litterio and Hernandez.

In the opener against the Bulldogs, Litterio was dominant as she tossed her third no-hitter of the season. Litterio struck out a season-high 16 batters in the win.

Flores and Hernandez were responsible for the Saints’ three runs as Flores drove in two and Hernandez one.

Four Saints recorded a multi-hit game.

In the second game of the doubleheader, Hernandez tossed her second complete game in as many days, allowing just three hits and striking out four.

OLLU scattered seven hits while scoring four runs against the Bulldogs. Grace Ross finished with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate while Lexie Escamilla recorded two RBI.

The Saints will return to the diamond on Sunday, April 6 as they travel to Hobbs, New Mexico to take on the University of the Southwest. First pitch is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. CT.

Outdoor Track Has Strong Start to Season

The Our Lady of the Lake (OLLU) men’s and women’s outdoor track and field teams are off to an impressive start to their 2025 season. The teams most recently competed at the UTSA Invitational, The Bobcat Invitational, and the Texas Relays.

“Our men’s and women’s teams have had a strong start to the outdoor season,” said head coach Brett Charlton. “This has been some of the fastest times we have ran this early in an outdoor season. Right now, we are continuing to focus on getting better each week. We are eager to see if the early season momentum we have created will help carry us through the back half of our season.”

The OLLU men’s team is currently ranked 13th nationally and #3 in the South Central Region.

“This is the most personal best and National standard marks we have ever had this early in the season,” continued Charlton. “To continue our success, we must get better each week and ensure our student-athletes are staying healthy.”

Jalen Bell has hit four National standards in just two outdoor meets. Bell ranks in the top-10 nationally with all four of those marks. At the UTSA invitational, Bell ran 10.42 in the 100m and 21.17 in the 200m, both National B-standards. At the Texas State Bobcat Invitational, Bell was apart of the 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams who both hit National A-standards with time of 40.81, and 3:15.07, respectfully. The 4x100m relay team consists of Spencer Williams, Jesus Riefkohl-Delgado, Malik White, and Bell ran the fourth fastest time in the NAIA. The 4x400m relay team of Richard Davis, Julian Verastegui, Yvann Agag, and Bell currently rank 6th in the NAIA with their mark at the Bobcat Invitational.

White also impressed in the 100m hurdles at the Bobcat Invitational, setting a new school record with a time of 14.42. His time currently ranks him #5 in the NAIA and was good enough for a National B-standard.

Verastegui his a National B-standard in the 400m at Texas State with a time of 47.77 which his second-best in school history and 9th best in the NAIA.

On the distance side, Damon Gutierrez set the school reocrd in the 10,000m run with a time of 31:27.95, good enough for an 8th place finish at the Texas Relays and the 10th-fastest time in the NAIA.

The OLLU women’s team is currently ranked #10 in the South Central Region.

In their opening meet of the season at UTSA, Lawren Tanner picked up where she left off in indoor season, breaking the school record in the long jump with mark of 5.85m, the third-best jump in the NAIA and a mark good enough for a National B-standard. Larrisa McHenry ran a personal best in the 200m with a time of 25.22, while also running the 100m in 12.09, the 24th best time in the NAIA. Aziza Clark just missed hitting a national standard in the 400m hurdles, running a time of 1:04.12, the 11th fastest time in the NAIA.

At the Bobcat Invitational, the women’s 4x400m relay team of Alexandria Segura, Tara Madrid, Autumn Roberts, and Aziza Clark ran the 8th fastest time in the NAIA with a time of 3:56.29.

The Saints will return to action on April 18 as they compete in the Michael Johnson Invite at Baylor University.