Box Score WARRENSBURG, Mo. – Leadoff hitter Taylor Johnson is supposed to set the table for the #24 St. Edward's baseball team. Friday afternoon, the junior second baseman cleared the table with five RBI to lead the Hilltoppers to a 13-10 win over #16 Angelo State in the second round of the DII South Central Regional. The win advances them to the winner's bracket final on Saturday.
Photo Gallery from Day Two
Post-Game Interview (SEU)
Post-Game Interview (ASU)
St. Edward's (37-14) started early for the second-straight game, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Johnson (Dripping Springs, Texas/Dripping Springs HS) led off the game with a single to center field. Kyle Harris (Layton, Utah/Clarendon JC) followed with a double down the third base line to score T. Johnson and put the Hilltoppers ahead, 1-0. With two outs, Ransom LaLonde (Tulsa, Okla./UT-San Antonio) brought home Harris with an infield single to shortstop to make it 2-0.
Angelo State (40-17) would knot the score in the second inning when Andrew LaCombe drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and Tate Allison drove in another with a double to tie the game, 2-2.
The Rams would take the lead, 3-2, in third inning on another sacrifice fly.
St. Edward's would answer with five runs in the bottom of the third inning. With one out and the bases loaded, Nate Bobrowski (Jerome, Idaho/San Mateo JC) had an infield single to shortstop to bring in the first run. Beau Rogers (Carbonado, Wash./Tacoma CC) found the hole through the right side of the infield to drive in two more. T. Johnson scored two more on a single to left field to make it 7-3.
Angelo State would not give up as they plated two runs in the top of the fifth inning. The Rams would pound out four-straight hits to start the inning that scored one run and loaded the bases. A sacrifice fly by Ryan Greer would score another and cut the Hilltopper lead to 7-5. St. Edward's almost escaped the inning on a double play ball but T. Johnson's relay throw to first was off and another run scored.
But like the entire game, St. Edward's had an answer. The Hilltoppers got an RBI single from T. Johnson to score Colin Elmore (Rockwall, Texas/Richland JC). With one out and runners at first and third, Adam Shank (Sugar Land, Texas/San Jacinto JC) ripped a line drive down the first base line that would have made it to the right field corner and score two, but it hit the first base bag and only Rogers could score. The two runs made it 9-6.
The Rams got a run back in the sixth inning on a double off of the wall by shortstop Zach Cohen.
Marshall Burford (Austin, Texas/Temple JC) drew a lead off walk in the bottom of the sixth and came in to score to answer the Rams and increase the lead to 10-7. A Shank double in the seventh made it 11-7.
In the top of the eighth inning, the first two Ram hitters reached base. Paul Smith was brought in to pitch. Smith made a nice inside move and picked off Allison for the first out. The junior would get to next two guys out and escape the jam still up 11-7.
With two outs in the bottom of the eighth, T. Johnson came through again, lacing a drive to the left field gap to score two more runs and give the Hilltoppers the insurance they would need.
In the ninth inning, the Rams threatened to make a game of it down 13-7. They would push across two runs and had the bases loaded. St. Edward's brought in its closer, Stephen Johnson. Johnson walked the first batter to score another run for Angelo State, however he shut the door, getting Toby Semler to pop out to second base and end the game. The save was S. Johnson's 18th and now shares the national lead with St. Mary's closer Jonathan Perez.
“Today's game turned into a high-scoring affair because both teams would not quit on offense,” head coach
Rob Penders said. “It was almost like a boxing match where both boxers traded punches round after round. We were fortunate enough to outlast them and win the fight.”
T. Johnson now has nine RBI for the tournament in just two games played. He is 7-for-10 with four runs scored.
“Our hitters did a great job of sticking with our offensive plan and executing it when it mattered most,” Penders said .It all started at the top of our lineup and continued through all nine guys. Hopefully, we can carry that offensive momentum into tomorrow's game.”
St. Edward's will be back in action Saturday when they take on fellow Heartland Conference member St. Mary's. At stake is a spot in Sunday's championship game. First pitch is set for 11 a.m. at Crane Stadium. The Hilltoppers and Rattlers split six games during the regular season this year. You can watch it live on the Central Missouri Athletic Website.
