AUSTIN - The Battle of the Saints returned to the Hilltop as St. Edward's hosted St. Mary's for a non-conference rivalry matchup Friday. The Rattlers took game one 7-3, but the Hilltoppers won game two 4-1 to split the series. 
 
GAME 1: SEU 3 - STMU 7
 
The Rattlers were the first on the board with a run in the first inning, but MORGAN ARCIA evened the count with a two-out single to the left side to drive home LAUREN WERNING in the second. 
 
GENISA MARRERO-CARTER drew a four-pitch walk to open the third for the Hilltoppers. On the following pitch she stole second, advancing to third on the play after an errant throw by StMU's catcher. 
 
Marrero-Carter wasn't at third long as KAYLEE MCQUILLAN drove her home for SEU's second run of the game. St. Mary's was quick to answer in the fourth with a solo shot by catcher Flores, making up for her error in the defensive half of the inning. The Rattlers were able to add one more to lead 3-2 through three and a half. 
 
St. Mary's added two in the fifth and sixth innings to lead 7-2 heading into SEU's final at bat. The Hilltoppers were ready to accept the challenge, loading the bases with no outs. Marrero-Carter brought home one run but that is as many as the Hilltoppers could score, falling 7-3. 
 
ALEXIS MASSIE and JORDAN NEELY had two hits each to lead SEU at the plate while EMILY KLANIKA suffered the loss in the circle. In 3.1 innings of work she allowed three runs on four hits with four walks and one strike out.  
 
GAME 2: SEU - STMU
 
St. Edward's was ready to go in game two, driving home two runs while nearly batting through the lineup in the opening frame. After the Rattlers closed the gap by one, Massie hit a two out shot to right center to score two and put the Hilltoppers up 4-1 through two. 
 
Starting pitcher MCKENNA LEAMON, the SEU defense and relief pitcher LAUREN JARESH took care of the rest, holding the Rattlers scoreless the rest of the way to arrive the 4-1 final.
 
VALERIE BRANT led at the plate, going 2-3 with one RBI while Massie was 1-2 with two RBIs. Leamon allowed one run on four hits with three walks and two strikeouts to earn the win while Jaresh threw two shutout innings, not giving up a hit with one walk and three strikeouts to earn the save.
 
St. Edward's improves to 9-11 overall and remain at 5-9 in Lone Star Conference play. They return to action on Friday, hosting Western New Mexico for a doubleheader beginning at 1 pm.