WICHITA FALLS, Texas – St. Edward's outhit Midwestern State in both games of today's doubleheader but struggled to turn them into runs, losing both.
Game 1: Midwestern State 4, St. Edward's 1
St. Edward's struck early but not often, plating a run in the first inning before going scoreless the rest of the way.
ARIANNA VIDALES and KATIE DILLON sparked the Hilltoppers with back-to-back infield singles to start the game. Then after two consecutive outs, ELLA HUTZLER drew a walk to load the bases, and MEGAN MORRIS drew another to score Vidales.
Midwestern State answered in the bottom of the inning. Bryant earned a leadoff walk, moved to second on a groundout, then advanced to third on a passed ball before finally scoring on a groundout to tie the game.
Both teams were retired in order in the second before Griffin hit an RBI single in the bottom of the third, and the Mustangs plated two more on an RBI single and error for the 4-1 lead.
St. Edward's got a leadoff single from Hutzler and a two-out single from LAUREN HOYT in the fourth to put runners in the corners, but Hoyt was caught stealing to end the inning. ALEXIS MASSIE had a leadoff double in the sixth but was left stranded.
MCKENNA LEAMON (L, 4-11) went three innings, striking out two with six walks and two of the four runs earned. KYLEN PADGETT pitched the other three innings and struck out two, and walked two with no hits surrendered.
Game 2: Midwestern State 3, St. Edward's 1
St. Edward's got two hits each from Vidales and Dillon, scoring a run in the first inning when Vidale stole second after a leadoff single and got two more bases on a throwing error.
The Hilltoppers carried that 1-0 lead into the sixth inning behind a strong start from pitcher CADIE BELLE CURRIE (L, 14-9), who had nine strikeouts in the loss. Currie struck out the side in the first and third innings and retired the side in order in the second, but struggled with control problems to start the sixth.
Currie walked Roberts and hit Shimkus to start the sixth, then surrendered an RBI single to Brenek to tie the game. Currie retired the next two hitters, but Cameron delivered the go-ahead runs on a two-RBI single for the 3-1 lead before Currie struck out Bryant to get out of the inning.
St. Edward's went down in order in the seventh.
The Hilltoppers drop to 25-25 after the loss with a 19-22 conference record. The Hilltoppers will finish the regular season tomorrow with a game at noon.