Box Score AUSTIN, TEXAS – On a day where pitching ruled the roost, St. Edward's ace BRANNON EASTERLING stepped up his game and tossed a two-hit shutout for his 10^th victory of the season. The Hilltoppers defeated McMurry, 2-0 in game one, but two unearned runs did the home team in for the second game with a 2-1 defeat.
 
Easterling (10-4) breezed through the first two innings of game one, setting down the first six in order. With one out in third, Greg Koll drew a walk. Easterling got Ben Douglas to ground into an inning-ending double play.
 
St. Edward's (35-13, 22-7 HC) got the first run of the game in the second inning. After KEVIN MAYO reached on a one-out double, WES KOENIG increased his team RBI-lead with a single to score Mayo. In the bottom of the third inning, RANSOM LALONDE made it 2-0 when he launched his third home run of the season over the left field wall.
 
Easterling and the Hilltopper defense took it from there. The tall righthander retired the next six batters in order. In the sixth inning, the no-hit bid was broken up by Zack Hagan's infield single. The defense responded with its second double play of the game. In the seventh inning, it seemed only fitting that the Hilltoppers would end the game on their third twin killing of the ballgame.
 
Easterling allowed just two hits, while walking two and striking out five in his nation-leading 14^th complete game. He needed only 78 pitches to guide his way to victory. Both LaLonde and DYLAN WATTS collected two hits each to lead the offense.
 
Game two saw the Hilltopper defense falter early. McMurry (23-25, 13-15 HC) got help from St. Edward's as the defense made two errors on the first two plays. The War Hawks would collect their only two runs of the game in the opening frame.
 
St. Edward's would threaten in each of the first three innings, but ended up leaving six runners on base to trail 2-0.
 
Hilltopper starting pitcher COLLIN SHERROD (9-1) kept the home team in the game as he kept the War Hawks off the scoreboard through the eighth inning. The only problem is the Hilltopper offense didn't get going until the bottom of the ninth.
 
MIKE DAVIS led off the ninth with a walk against McMurry closer Mitch Labbie. CHRIS KILLEEN reached on an error while GABLE WHITACRE sacrificed them both into scoring position. RYAN DOLEZAL drove in Davis with a foul out, however, Killeen was left stranded at third to end the game on a groundout by pinch hitter JOHN ALEXANDER.
 
Sherrod was the hard-luck loser, allowing two unearned runs on five hits while walking one and striking out four. The loss was his first of the year after rattling off nine-consecutive victories to open the season.
 
The two teams will meet in a rubber match on Saturday. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at Lucian-Hamilton Field. Live video and stats will be available on the Hilltopper Athletic Website. The game is deemed "Senior Day", as the Hilltoppers will honor 10 individuals appearing in their final home game of their career on Saturday.