Box Score The Basics
-Score: UA Fort Smith 7, St. Edward's 5 (G1), UA Fort Smith 5, St. Edward's 3 (G2)
-Records: St. Edward's 18-9, 13-7 HC: UA Fort Smith 16-9, 14-6 HC
-Location: Fort Smith, Ark. (Crowder Field)
 
Game 1
How It Happened
-St. Edward's fell in an early hole, giving up six runs in the first three innings. The Hilltopper defense did not help things as they committed an error that led to three unearned runs.
-The Hilltoppers finally broke through in the fourth inning when RANSOM LALONDE led off the inning with a walk. After moving to second on a groundout and third base on a passed ball, he would score on an error by the pitcher. WES KOENIG would also score in the inning on an RBI-walk by MARSHALL BURFORD.
-After UA Fort Smith got a run back in the bottom of the fourth, Hilltopper starting pitcher BRANNON EASTERLING would buckle down from there on and give the Hilltopper s a chance for a rally.
-In the fifth inning, TAYLOR JOHNSON led off with a single. A walk to CUTTER RUNTE and a hit by pitch against LaLonde loaded the bases. CJ MANNING grounded out to drive in Johnson and cut the lead to 7-3. However, the Hilltoppers would strand the final two runners.
-In the seventh inning, St. Edward's tried to make the comeback complete. The Hilltoppers loaded the bases with one out. Koenig drew a walk to score one run. JOE PIROZZOLO drove in the next run with a groundout to make it 7-5. A groundout would strand the tying run on second base.
 
Game 2
How It Happened
-St. Edward's scored first in game two when Johnson reached on an error by the Lion shortstop. He moved to second on a groundout and stole third base. Manning drove in Johnson for a 1-0 lead.
-UA Fort Smith answered with two runs in the bottom of the first.
-The Hilltoppers tied the game up in the third inning, as Johnson was again the catalyst. He led off the inning with a walk. He stole second and came in to score on a single by Runte.
-St. Edward's took the lead in the fifth inning when LaLonde reached base on a one-out double. He moved to third on a passed ball and scored on a sacrifice fly by Manning.
-UA Fort Smith answered in a big way, pushing across three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.
-The Hilltoppers could not respond as they could only muster two hits in the final four innings against Lion pitching.
 
Beyond the Box Score
-Manning was 3-for-5 with three RBI during the doubleheader. He leads St. Edward's with 23 RBI.
-The two losses snap the Hilltoppers' seven-game winning streak and knocks them out of first place in the Heartland Conference standings.
-With his three hits, Johnson now has 212 career hits and has moved to sixth on the all-time list.
 
2013 Heartland Conference Baseball Standings
Team                           Conference             Overall
#14 St. Mary's                   15-5                      19-8
UA Fort Smith                    14-6                      16-9
#21 St. Edward's               13-7                      18-9
TAMU-International         13-8                    18-12
Newman                             9-11                    12-14
UT-Permian Basin             6-15                      8-18
Panhandle State                0-18                      1-23
Oklahoma Christian           0-0                      17-12
McMurry                             0-0                      13-16
 
Up Next
The Hilltoppers and Lions will be back in action Monday for the final game of the series. The single game will begin at 1 p.m. at Crowder Field. Live stats will be available on the Lion Athletic Website.