KINGSVILLE, Texas – St. Edward's softball ended this weekend's Emerald Beach Hotel Tourney on a high note as it took down host Texas A&M-Kingsville, 6-4 in the tournament finale. The Hilltoppers had fallen to Texas A&M-Commerce earlier in the day, 11-2.
Game 2 vs. TAMU-Kingsville (W, 6-4)TAMU-Kingsville (4-3) came into the final game of the tourney undefeated for the weekend.
St. Edward's (5-5) started game two with a deficit, as the Javelinas put up a run in the first inning. The Hilltoppers responded with two runs in the top of the second inning.
MORGAN DUFOUR led off the inning with a triple to right field. The bases became loaded when
MEGAN HOFFMAN walked and
OLIVIA BURDICK was hit by a pitch.
SAMANTHA GILMORE followed with an RBI-single to right field. Two outs later,
NICOLE PARNELL picked up an RBI with an infield single to shortstop.
St. Edward's got two more runs off of a two-run home run from Dufour in the third inning to increase its lead to 4-1.
After TAMU-Kingsville got two runs back in the bottom of the third inning, the Hilltoppers scored two more runs in the fourth inning to make it, 6-3.
The Hilltoppers buckled down from there, allowing just one run over the last four innings to come away with the victory.
OLIVIA BURDICK improved to 2-1 on the season after allowing four runs on seven hits, while walking five and striking out five in her complete-game victory.
"I was happy to see our girls come together in game two today," head coach Lindsey Gardner said. "We allowed a lot of external factors to effect our energy and our play in game one. Once we settled down and focused on the task at hand, we were able to put some runs on the board and played pretty good defense. We had some really nice at bats from several players today, and I'm excited to continue improving that consistency at the plate."
Game 1 vs. TAMU-Commerce (L, 2-11)The first game of the day did not go the way the Hilltoppers planned. TAMU-Commerce (8-1) raced out to a 6-0 lead in the first three innings.
St. Edward's finally got on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning. Dufour led off the inning with a walk.
KAYLA APPLEBY laced a double to the gap in left field for a double to move pinch-runner
CYDNEY ERVIN to third base. Ervin scored on a wild pitch and Appleby came home on a Hoffman groundout to cut the lead to 6-2.
That is the way the score would stay until the top of the sixth inning when the Lions put five runs on the board to end the contest an inning early.
The Hilltoppers will be back in action Wednesday as they open up play in Austin at the friendly confines of Diane Daniels Field. St. Edward's will host Texas A&M-Kingsville in a doubleheader set for 12:30 p.m. Live video and stats will be available on the Hilltopper Athletic Website. The Hilltoppers have faced the Javelinas in their home opener three of the last four seasons. St. Edward's owns a 4-2 record in those games.
