AUSTIN, Texas – CAM HATCH made an impressive three-inning appearance in relief for St. Edward's Baseball, and gave the Hilltoppers a chance to come from behind, but it was not to be as #26 Texas A&M-Kingsville defeated #3 St. Edward's, 9-6, on Wednesday afternoon.
 
Hatch, who has spent most of his career dominating for one to two innings at a time, pitched three innings of nearly perfect baseball. The senior relief specialist allowed no runs on just two hits with a strikeout. His outing was the longest of any Hilltopper hurler in the game. A total of seven other pitchers made an appearance for the Hilltoppers against the South Central Regional foe.
 
At the plate, GABLE WHITACRE had a big offensive day, going 3-for-4 with a RBI. NATE TURNER, ROMEO CORTINA, JOSEPH OLSON, and WESLEY HARRIS all tallied multiple hits as well. Despite the loss, the Hilltoppers finished the day batting over .300 as a team, with 13 hits in 36 at-bats.
 
The loss moves St. Edward's to 31-10. Texas A&M-Kingsville improves to 27-13.
 
"They hit the ball in some awkward spots, and we didn't make some plays, and gave them an extra out," said head coach Rob Penders. "Instead of turning a double play and getting out with no runs, they got seven. Those things happen, and it stinks that it happened with a game as important as this, but those things occur. I'll take our guys any day. That's not a typical result from our team."
 
St. Edward's jumped ahead early with three runs in the first. A double from Cortina with the bases loaded brought in two, and Whitacre drove in Cortina with a single to left field. The Hilltoppers added two more in the second on a single by Olson.
 
However, that was not before a run of errors by the home team allowed the Javelinas to score seven in the top of the second. The two-run, 7-5 advantage would prove to be enough.
 
A pair of insurance runs in the fifth were not needed. The Hilltopper bats managed one more run in the ninth to make the final tally.
 
BRYCE DAVIS got the start and was charged with the loss. However, St. Edward's defense committed four errors on the day.
 
Coach Penders and his squad hit the road this weekend for a three-game set with Panhandle State. Friday will be a twin bill with one, nine-inning game concluding the series on Saturday. First pitch on Friday is set for 1 p.m. from Goodwell, Oklahoma, with live stats available at GoHilltoppers.com.