AUSTIN – St. Edward's took advantage of five St. Mary's errors and picked up a 7-0 victory to win the Heartland Conference series on Friday afternoon at Lucian-Hamilton Field.

The Hilltoppers (19-24, 6-9 HC), who earned their third shutout victory of the season, tallied seven hits and scored in four innings to claim the rubber game from the Rattlers (25-18, 6-9 HC).

TY MARKEE broke the scoring seal in the fourth inning, as the sophomore drove a single down the left-field line, plating both ZACH SHEPHERD and BLAKE HOLUB.

The 'Toppers picked up two unearned runs in the following frame. RYAN MCPHAIL had a run-scoring single, while NATHAN RAMON scored the fourth run of the game after DYLAN MACKIN grounded into a double play.

Two more unearned runs came across in the seventh, pushing St. Edward's lead to 6-0. The Hilltoppers loaded the bases with two outs before Shepherd hit a ground ball that was misplayed at second base, allowing McPhail to score. ZACH SCHINDLER then worked a walk, forcing Mackin across the dish.

St. Edward's added one more tally in the eighth, as MATTHEW JIMENEZ scored from first base on McPhail's double.

NATHAN MEDRANO and BEN MORALEZ combined on the shutout. Medrano (2-4) earned the win after scattering five hits and a walk while striking out four over seven strong innings. Moralez fanned two, walked one and gave up one hit over the final two stanzas.

Jacob Koehler (2-2) was tagged with the loss after the St. Mary's starting pitcher allowed four runs (two earned) on six hits and three walks in six-plus innings.

McPhail had his eighth multiple-hit game of the campaign, as the senior outfielder was 2 for 4 with two RBIs. Markee also drove in two, while Schindler added an RBI.

The Hilltoppers will return to the road next weekend, traveling to Wichita, Kan., for a three-game league series against Newman. The set is scheduled to open with a doubleheader on Friday, April 26.




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