Box Score Post-Game Celebration/Interview
 
KINGSVILLE, Texas – The Hilltoppers came away victorious in two elimination games on Sunday. In the first game, St. Edward's defeated conference rival St. Mary's, 2-1 and in the second game they defeated Lone Star Conference Champion, Texas A&M – Kingsville, 7-1. With the two victories, St. Edward's advances to the NCAA Division II College World Series for the first time in school history.
 
(Game 1 vs. St. Mary's)
The Hilltoppers quickly got a runner in scoring position to start the game, but came up empty handed after CJ MANNING flied out to center field. RANSOM LALONDE was the runner in scoring position.
 
Instead, St. Edward's got on the board in the top of the second inning. DYLAN WATTS drew the walk after NATE BOBROWSKI grounded out to the second baseman and MARSHALL BURFORD flied out to left field. Watts was able to advance to second base when JOE PIROZZOLO was hit by a pitch. RYAN DOLEZAL was walked and the bases were loaded with two outs. TAYLOR JOHNSON was able to draw the third walk of the inning and score Watts for the 1-0 lead. The Hilltoppers left three runners stranded.
 
St. Mary's quickly tied the game during the bottom half of the inning. Ivan Sigala provided the sacrifice fly that allowed Brandon Bates to score the run. COLLIN SHERROD was able to get out of the inning avoiding any further damage.
 
The Hilltoppers regained the lead in top half of the fourth inning when Watts scored his second run of the game. He started the inning off with a single to right field. JOE PIROZZOLO laid down the bunt that advanced Watts to second base. Pirozzolo was safe at first. RYAN DOLEZAL executed the sacrifice bunt to advance the runners. TAYLOR JOHNSON provided the sacrifice fly allowing Watts to score and give the St. Edward's the 2-1 lead.
 
The Rattlers posed a possible scoring threat during the seventh inning. St. Mary's had runners on first and second but COLLIN SHERROD held the batters at bay with a strike out and a ground out to end the inning.
 
St. Edward's had the opportunity to add some insurance runs in the ninth inning. The Hilltoppers had the bases loaded with two outs, but NATE BOBROWSKI popped up to the short stop to end the top half of the ninth inning.
 
The Rattlers had one last opportunity to extend the game. Sigala singled up the middle to start the inning. He advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Sigala advanced to third when teammate Nathan Humpal grounded out to NATE BOBROWSKI. AJ RATAIC forced Adrian Garcia to fly out to BEAU ROGERS and St. Edward's would pick up their third straight win over their conference rival, 2-1. The Hilltoppers advance to the championship game for a rematch against Texas A&M – Kingsville.
 
(Game 2 vs. Texas A&M – Kingsville)
On the third pitch of the ball game, TAYLOR JOHNSON connected on a fastball for a homerun to left field to give the Hilltoppers the quick 1-0. lead  This was Johnson's first home run of the year. RANSOM LALONDE and CJ MANNING both got on base after being hit by pitches. LaLonde and Manning advanced into scoring position on a wild pitch. NATE BOBROWSKI hit a single that dropped in right center field. LaLonde and Manning scored and the Hilltoppers were quickly up, 3-0.
 
St. Edward's added another run to their lead in the second inning. RYAN DOLEZAL got things started with a double down the left field line. CUTTER RUNTE singled through the left side and recorded his 17^th RBI by driving in Dolezal for the fourth run of the game.
 
The Hilltoppers added one more run in the third inning. DYLAN WATTS got a hold of the third pitch of his at-bat and hammered it to left field for the second solo shot of the day for St. Edward's. The Hilltoppers established control of the game with the 5-0 lead.
 
Brannan Easterling made his second appearance of the NCAA South Central Regional and he did not disappoint. Through the first four innings, Easterling only allowed two hits to the Javelinas minimizing any chance for them to mount a comeback.
 
Texas A&M – Kingsville got on the board in the fifth inning. They scored one run on four hits. Easterling was able to get out of jam that found the Javelinas with the bases loaded. He forced a groundout and got the Hilltoppers out of the inning with one run surrendered
 
St. Edward's scored its final two runs of the game during the top of the eighth inning. RYAN DOLEZAL got things started as he cranked the fifth pitch of his at-bat down left field for the third homerun of the day for the Hilltoppers. TAYLOR JOHNSON followed with a single to center field. Johnson advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt put down by CUTTER RUNTE. Johnson would cross the plate when CJ MANNING singled through the left side of the field. St. Edward's led, 7-1.
 
Easterling struck out the first batter of the ninth inning. He let his infield do the rest after he walked James Black. The two batters after Black grounded out to third and shortstop. The Hilltoppers quickly gathered around the pitchers mound in celebration of their NCAA South Central Regional Championship and their upcoming trip to their first ever College World Series.
 
The Hilltoppers will be back in action on Sunday May 26^th as they compete in the NCAA Division II College World Series. St. Edward's will play against the West Regional Champion, Grand Canyon at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The NCAA Division II College World Series will take place at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C.