CLEBURNE – NATHAN MEDRANO went the distance on the mound, while an eighth-inning sacrifice fly off the bat of ZACH SHEPHERD proved to be the difference, as No. 4 seed St. Edward's toppled top-seeded Lubbock Christian, 3-2, in the opening round of the Heartland Conference Championship on Thursday afternoon at The Depot at Cleburne Station.

The Hilltoppers (26-25) advance to play No. 2 seed Rogers State in a winners' bracket contest on Friday. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. The Chaparrals (35-14) will meet third-seeded UAFS in an elimination game at 12 p.m. Friday.

Medrano, who earned second-team all-league honors a day ago, scattered eight hits and struck out six while registering his first complete game. The right-hander threw 127 pitches. He walked two and hit one batter.

The Gilroy, Calif., native gave up a run in the first inning on a sacrifice fly after surrendering back-to-back singles and then hitting a batter to load the bases. The only other run that crossed the plate against Medrano came in the seventh, as Ryan Rijo came off the bench and produced a run-scoring single with a runner at second base.

St. Edward's trailed 1-0 until the fifth inning.

ZACH SCHINDLER coaxed a leadoff walk and then was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by TY MARKEE. ROBBIE LAMMONS followed with a single to left field that pushed Schindler to third. RYAN MCPHAIL then laid down a bunt that allowed Schindler to score.

MORGAN ALLEN gave St. Edward's a 2-1 advantage in the sixth. The freshman shortstop reached on a wild pitch after strike three skipped to the backstop. Allen then stole second base and immediately popped up and ran to third base as the throw went into center field. Schindler took a 1-1 pitch and placed it into left field, allowing Allen to trot home.

After the Chaps tied up the contest in the bottom of the seventh, the Hilltoppers scored the go-ahead run in the following frame.

BLAKE HOLUB, a first-team all-conference selection, doubled down the right-field line to start the inning. The hit forced a pair of changes, as Lubbock Christian removed starting pitcher Ryan Johnson from the mound and replaced him with Koi Carrillo. SEU also called on NOLAN BURR to pinch run for Holub at second base.

Carrillo uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Burr to advance to third base. JACOB VASQUEZ grounded out to third base, which forced Burr to remain on the corner. However, Shepherd hit a fly ball to left that was deep enough for Burr to score the final run of the game.

The Hilltoppers managed only five hits in the tournament opener, but handed Johnson (13-1) his first loss of the season. Lammons, who played for the first time since April 18, had a pair of singles. Schindler and Shepherd both tallied a hit and each drove in a run.

Medrano improved to 4-4 on the season. The right-hander is 3-0 with a 1.13 ERA over his last five starts.




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