Box Score FORT SMITH, Ark. – The 11^th-ranked St. Edward's baseball team notched its fourth shutout of the season on its way to its ninth-straight Heartland Conference victory with a 4-0 win over UA Fort Smith Saturday afternoon at Crowder Field. The win keeps the Hilltoppers in a tie for first place in the Heartland Conference with rival St. Mary's. That sets up a showdown next weekend with the Rattlers at Lucian-Hamilton Field with first-place on the line.
 
St. Edward's (26-10, 13-5 HC) opened the scoring in the third inning when RYAN DOLEZAL reached with a one-out infield single. He would use his legs to move into scoring position with a stolen base and disrupt the pitcher into a balk to advance to third. CUTTER RUNTE picked up where he left in game two of the series with an RBI-single to left field to plate Dolezal with the game's first run.
 
The Hilltoppers would do what they do best and manufacture a run in the fourth inning by playing small ball. After RANSOM LALONDE led off the inning with a single, he stole second and was sacrificed to third by DYLAN WATTS. KEVIN MAYO drove in LaLonde to make it 2-0 with a sacrifice fly to centerfield.
 
With two outs in the sixth inning, St. Edward's put the game away with two more runs. Watts laced a double down the left field line. Mayo picked up his second RBI of the game with a single to centerfield. After Mayo stole second base, CHRIS KILLEEN ripped a double to right field to score Mayo for the final 4-0 margin.
 
DALTON BROWN (6-0) picked up right where he left off last weekend against TAMU-International. The lefty allowed just one hit through the first five innings of action. He would finish the day, allowing no runs on just three hits, while striking out one in 7.0 innings of work. He runs his scoreless inning streak to 16.1 innings and lowered his ERA to 1.29. The team's ERA was lowered to a conference-best 2.44 and opposing batters are only hitting .204 against them.
 
DAN BECKS came on in relief to throw two hitless innings while striking out one.
 
The Hilltoppers will be back in action Friday when they host longtime rival St. Mary's in the biggest series of the year to date. Friday's doubleheader will begin at 1:30 p.m., and will be followed by a single game on Saturday at 1 p.m. All games will be played at Lucian-Hamilton Field. Live video and stats will be available on the Hilltopper Athletic Website.
 
Heartland Conference Standings
Team                                         Conference            Overall
St. Edward's                             13-5                         26-10
St. Mary's                                  13-5                         26-11
Newman                                    9-9                           16-15
UA Fort Smith                           8-10                         15-18
UT-Permian Basin                   8-10                         17-19
TAMU-International                 5-13                         13-23
Panhandle State                      2-15                         11-25
 
*Lubbock Christian                 18-3                         26-9
*Oklahoma Christian              13-8                         20-12
*McMurry                                   9-11                         15-20
*Rogers State                           6-15                         13-20
* - Not eligible for conference title.
 
Remaining Conference Schedule
April 11-12
St. Mary's at St. Edward's
Newman at TAMU-International
UA Fort Smith at Lubbock Christian
McMurry at UT-Permian Basin
Panhandle State at Rogers State
Oklahoma Christian-OFF
 
April 17-19
St. Edward's at Panhandle State
St. Mary's at Newman
TAMU-International at UA Fort Smith
Lubbock Christian at Oklahoma Christian
Rogers State at UT-Permian Basin
McMurry-OFF
 
April 25-26
Rogers State at St. Edward's
Oklahoma Christian at St. Mary's
UT-Permian Basin at TAMU-International
UA Fort Smith at McMurry
Newman at Panhandle State
Lubbock Christian-OFF
 
May 2-3
McMurry at St. Edward's
TAMU-International at St. Mary's
Oklahoma Christian at Panhandle State
UA Fort Smith at Newman
UT-Permian Basin at Lubbock Christian
Rogers State-OFF