SAN ANTONIO – St. Edward's bounced back from a Sunday loss with a decisive win over St. Mary's, defeating the Rattlers 15-4 to finish the series with three wins in four games.
The heart of the Hilltopper lineup was prolific, combining to hit 11-for-17 from the third through sixth spots, compiling eight RBIs and 11 runs scored from LANCE LITTLE, CULLEN AINSWORTH, DAVIS DREWEK, and LUKE JOHNSON.
St. Edward's struck first with four runs in the second. Ainsworth led off with a walk, then Drewek doubled to right center to put both in scoring position to set up Johnson's two-RBI single up the middle.
Then, JOSH GRAHAM reached on an error, MATTHEW GILES moved both runners over with a sacrifice bunt, and WESTON SYMES scored Johnson on a groundout to second. Finally, TREVOR SEBEK ended the first-inning scoring run with an RBI single up the middle.
The Rattlers capitalized on a Hilltopper mistake in the bottom of the inning, scoring two runs on a throwing error after Brandon Broughton and Easton Parrish opened the inning with a walk and double.
Little continued his relentless effort to raise the ERA of opposing pitchers in the Lone Star Conference with a leadoff home run in the third for his third home run of the series and 13th of the season. Ainsworth followed with a single through the right side, and Drewek cleared the bases with a blast over the deepest part of the center-field fence for the 7-2 lead.
A pitch struck Little to open the fifth inning, Ainsworth singled up the middle, and both advanced on a wild pitch to set up an RBI for Drewek on a groundout to second. Then, Ainsworth scored on a wild pitch.
Clay Bradford added another St. Mary's run in the sixth, driving in Jake Mares with a single to left field after the latter reached on a leadoff single and advanced to third on a throwing error on a fielder's choice hit by Jacob King. Bradford did it again in the eighth with a solo blast down the right-field line to bring St. Mary's to within 9-4.
Ainsworth and Drewek reached safely with back-to-back walks in the ninth inning, and Johnson drove in Ainsworth with an RBI single through the left side. RYAN FEDDERSEN drew a walk to load the bases, and MATTHEW GILES hit a sacrifice fly to right to score Drewek.
Then, a passed ball scored Johnson and moved pinch runner KYLER KERLIN to second, and Symes followed with an RBI triple to center, an RBI single from Sebek, and later an RBI single from Little.
JARED SCHAEFFER (W, 3-1) got his first start in five appearances on the mound for St. Edward's and went six innings with three strikeouts, surrendering one earned run of the three surrendered with a walk and six hits allowed. SETH TAYLOR followed with two innings, giving up a run on two hits, and GEORGE HETTRICK pitched the ninth, allowing one hit and one walk with no runs.
Johnson led St. Edward's with a perfect 4-for-4 performance, driving in three RBIs and scoring twice. Little hit 2-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored, Ainsworth was 3-for-4 with four runs scored, and Davis hit 2-for-3 with three RBIs and four runs scored.
St. Edward's improves to 30-7 with a 28-7 conference record. The Hilltoppers will host Lubbock Christian this weekend, with the first game on Friday at 2:00 p.m.
