Photo GallerySAN ANTONIO, Texas – Despite getting four hits from
ALEX MAYFIELD on the day, St. Edward's dropped both games of their doubleheader on Friday afternoon at the St. Mary's DII College Classic. The Hilltoppers lost a 13-2 decision to East Central and fell to #10 Tarleton State, 6-4 in extra innings.
Game 1 (East Central 13, St. Edward's 2)St. Edward's started the first inning with two runners reaching with two outs.
KAYLA APPLEBY laced a line drive down the right field line but the East Central rightfielder made a running catch to end the threat and strand the two baserunners.
East Central (1-4) opened the scoring in the bottom of the first when Lauren Reeves tallied a three-run home run to centerfield.
The Tigers kept their foot on the gas as it pushed across a single run in the third inning sandwiched around two runs in the second inning and seven more in the fourth.
The Hilltoppers finally got some offense going in the top of the fifth inning. After two miscues by the Tiger defense put the first two runners on base, St. Edward's got a perfectly placed squeeze bunt from Mayfield to score
BREAH WHITTEN.
MEGAN HOFFMAN drove in
SAMANTHA GILMORE on an RBI-single to left field for their second run of the game. The inning would end with just the two runs, but the Hilltoppers were looking to take that momentum into game two of the afternoon.
ASHLEE REX (0-1) suffered the loss, allowing 13 runs (nine earned) on 14 hits, while walking five and striking out four in 4.0 innings of work.
Game 2 (#10 Tarleton State 6, St. Edward's 4)Tarleton State (5-1) opened the scoring in the top of the first with a run off of a two-out single.
Both teams would be held scoreless until the bottom of the third inning when St. Edward's tied the game. Mayfield was the catalyst again as she reached base on a one-out single. It was her second hit of the game. A groundout moved Mayfield to second base.
NICOLE PARNELL came up with the big hit as her two-out single up the middle plated Mayfield.
The TexAnns took the lead back in the top of the fourth inning as they loaded the bases with one out. A passed ball allowed one run to score but Hilltopper starting pitcher
LAUREN SLATTEN struck the next two batters out to strand the runners and keep the score, 2-1.
After Tarleton State added another run in the top of the fifth inning to make it 3-1, St. Edward's responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning.
KACI OLSON led off the inning for the Hilltoppers with a single to right field. Mayfield followed with a walk. After two outs by St. Edward's,
MELINA SANCHEZ came up with a two-run double that one hopped the right field fence. They would also load the bases but a pitching change ended the threat.
The game would head to extra innings and the international tiebreaker rule. Tarleton State had first crack at it and they capitalized with a three-run home run to take a 6-3 lead.
St. Edward's tried to mount a comeback in the bottom the eighth, but after one run scored the Hilltopper rally was ended.
Slatten (1-1) took the loss for St. Edward's, allowing six runs (three earned) on six hits, while walking three and striking out eight in 8.0 innings of work.
St. Edward's will wrap up play in the St. Mary's DII College Classic Saturday with a single game versus Colorado Mines. First pitch is set for 10 a.m. at the STMU Softball Stadium. Live video and stats will be available on the St. Mary's Athletic Website.
