LAS VEGAS – Sabrina Hicks wasted no time to open up the 2019 season with a bang. The senior clubbed two home runs, a three run blast in the third, and a two run shot in the fifth to lift the Saints to a season-opening victory, 7-2, over Stanislaus State.
 
Saint Martin's opened the season on the road, in part of the Desert Stinger tournament, facing Stanislaus State, and Hicks and Lauren Diuco headlined the box score. The shortstop crushed two home runs, first going opposite field to right, and following it up with a slam to left. Hicks drove in six runs, including an insurance run in the seventh, which was plenty for the pitching staff. Lauren Maley and Brandi Schoessler (1-0) combined to quiet the Warriors' bats to only five hits and two runs.

"Maley and Brandi pitched really well for us," said head coach Jim Peterson. "Sabrina had two home runs which ignited our offense and we played an all-around solid game for our first win of the year."
 
The first major action of the game came in the third inning when the Saints began with a lead-off walk, followed by a single from Lauren Diuco. Julia Lucas, who reached on the walk, advanced to third on the single, and Diuco stole second in the next at-bat. With two runners in scoring position, Hicks went yard on a 2-1 count to put SMU on top 3-0.
 
Stanislaus was able to chip into the lead the following half inning, scoring on a throwing error by SMU in a stolen base attempt.
 
With two outs in the fifth inning, Regan Byrd singled up the middle and then stole second with Hicks at the plate. However, the stolen base meant nothing, as Hicks drove a ball to deep left for her second home run of the game, which equals her entire 2018 total.
 
Stanislaus added one more run in the bottom of the sixth to pull within three runs, but the Saints responded with two insurance runs in the seventh. Hicks drove in her sixth RBI of the game on a single to shortstop, scoring Diuco. Kylie Lopez followed it up with a double to center, bringing home Hicks and the Saints cruised to a 7-2 victory.
 
Diuco ended the game with three hits and three stolen bases at the top of the order. Trinity Favela, in her first ever Saints' game, went 2-for-3 with two singles up the middle. Lopez and Byrd each collected a hit to round out the Saints' 10 hits in the game.
 
Maley got the start, going 2.2 innings, allowing one run, unearned, on three hits and two strikeouts. Schoessler came in the third inning to record the final out, and then finished the game, going 3.1 innings. In those innings, Schoessler allowed two hits, one run, and struck out one.
 
The Saints face Colorado Christian at 7:00 p.m. to wrap up the first day of the Stinger Classic. Live stats can be found on smusaints.com.