AUSTIN, Texas – St. Edward's baseball got another dominant performance from LUKE SHORT to split its doubleheader against Lubbock Christian, allowing itself to tie the series on Sunday.
Game 1: Lubbock Christian 10, St. Edward's 1
Lubbock Christian continued to pour in the runs and got a near-perfect pitching performance from Ryan Markwardt to defeat St. Edward's 10-1 and take a 2-0 series lead.
The Chaps hit three home runs off starting pitcher JACK GRANACK in the first four innings, getting a three-run blast from Ryan Ball in the second, a two-run homer from Jarred Gibson in the third, and a three-run blast from Eduardo Acosta in the fourth.
GEORGE HETTRICK replaced Granack after Acosta's home run and silenced the Lubbock Christian bats until the seventh, when he surrendered a one-out double, hit a batter, and walked another to load the bases. JACK ENGELMANN replaced Hettrick, and Acosta drove in two runs with a single up the middle before Engelmann got out of the inning.
CULLEN AINSWORTH broke up Markwardt's no-hitter with a leadoff double in the seventh. DAVIS DREWEK moved him over to third on a groundout to first, then Ainsworth scored on a wild pitch before Markwardt retired the next two to finish the complete-game shutout.
Game 2: St. Edward's 6, Lubbock Christian 2
LUKE SHORT (W, 9-0) broke the 100-strikeout mark this season with his fifth 12-strikeout game, and St. Edward's broke through with seven hits for a 6-2 win.
Short retired the first eight hitters in order, striking out five through the first three innings before hitting Caden Hensley to allow the first Chaps runner to reach, then got Carson Ogilvie to foul out.
Lubbock Christian struck first again for the third time this series, getting a leadoff single from Brevin McCool. Acosta followed with a two-run blast to right field.
Short shut the Chaps down the rest of the way, allowing only one more hit in the top of the seventh inning, where he struck out the side.
St. Edward's responded to Lubbock Christian's two-run homer in the fourth with four runs in the bottom of the inning. KYLER KERLIN placed a perfect hit down the left-field line for a leadoff double, and a pitch hit WESTON SYMES to open the inning. Then, after TREVOR SEBEK went down swinging, CONNOR COX delivered a two-RBI double, and LANCE LITTLE hit an RBI double to right center. Then, Lubbock Christian went to the bullpen, replacing Chris Shull with Tyler Manyo, and CULLEN AINSWORTH advanced Little to third on a fly out to center, setting up Little's score on a wild pitch.
The Hilltoppers added two more runs in the sixth. Manyo walked Sebek and hit Cox to start the inning, then Little flied out to right field, advancing Sebek to third. GRAYSON THALLMAN pinch-ran for Cox, stole second, and then moved to third, with Sebek scoring on a wild pitch. After Ainsworth walked, Drewek laid down a perfect bunt for a single, scoring Thallman.
St. Edward's improves to 31-9 with a 29-9 conference record after the win. The Hilltoppers and Chaps will finish the series tomorrow with a 1:00 p.m. game.
