AUSTIN, Texas – LUKE SHORT broke St. Edward's baseball's single-season strikeouts record and earned his tenth win, and the Hilltoppers swept the doubleheader against Texas A&M International. 

Game 1: St. Edward's 5, Texas A&M International 0

With five strikeouts and five walks, JACK GRANACK (W, 6-6) walked the fine line between the sort of chaos and control that can keep hitters off balance to earn St. Edward's first shutout victory since a 10-0 win over Arkansas Fort Smith back on March 26. 

Every time Granack veered too far on the wild side of the ledger, he and the Hilltopper defense responded, as they did when Granack walked two in the first but stranded both runners with a strikeout, then a throw-out on a steal attempt at third. 

St. Edward's broke through with the first run in the bottom of the third, sparked by KYLER KERLIN's leadoff single up the middle. Then, a pitch hit WESTON SYMES, and TREVOR SEBEK moved both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Finally, CONNOR COX drove in Kerlin with a groundout to second. 

The Hilltoppers broke the game open with four runs in the fifth. MATTHEW GILES led the inning off with a single through the right side, then Kerlin moved him over with a sacrifice bunt, and Symes and Sebek followed with back-to-back bunts for singles to load the bases. 

Cox capitalized with a two-RBI single up the middle, and after LANCE LITTLE grounded out to the pitcher's mound, DAVIS DREWEK hit a two-RBI single through the right side for the 5-0 lead. 

Granack struck out Daniel Hernandez to open the sixth, then after a walk and error put two on, Kerlin turned a 4-3 double play on a grounder from Brock Hargens. KEVIN SKWERES replaced Granack to start the seventh and retired the side in order, striking out Gonzalez. 

Game 2: St. Edward's 9, Texas A&M International 2

Short capped off a spectacular regular season with six strikeouts to earn his 10th win in 11 starts this season, setting a new St. Edward's single-season strikeout record when he fanned Marcos Alvarado in the top of the fifth to surpass Juan Cortina's 114 strikeouts set in 2018. 

Both team's pitchers struggled with control, with Short doling out a season-high five walks. However, the Hilltopper defense erased each mistake with sound and sometimes spectacular defense. 

Short walked a hitter in each of the first three innings, but the Hilltoppers were still able to retire the first nine hitters in order. Ainsworth threw out Ariben Gutierrez trying to steal in the first, Short picked off Matt Kissamis in the second, and Symes was able to barehand a shot lined off Short in the third to turn an inning-ending double play.

At the plate, the Hilltoppers made the Dustdevils pay for their lack of control. Texas A&M International starter Lalo Salinas loaded the bases with two walks and hit Little to open the first, then, after striking out Drewek, hit Ainsworth to plate the first run. RYAN FEDDERSEN followed with an RBI single through the right side. 

Ainsworth doubled the lead with a two-RBI single through the left side in the third. Though, the Hilltoppers did leave three stranded. 

St. Edward's added three more runs in the fifth. Fedderson and Giles opened the inning with back-to-back walks, and Kerlin moved them over with a sacrifice bunt. Then, Symes drove in Feddersen with an RBI single through the right side, and Sebek drove in two more with a double to right center. 

Giles added St. Edward's final two runs on a two-RBI double to right field, scoring Feddersen and Ainsworth. 

SETH TAYLOR replaced Short to start the seventh and surrendered two singles and a walk to load the bases. Alvarado followed with an RBI single, ending Taylor's afternoon. AUSTIN ESSEX replaced Taylor and recorded three consecutive outs to end the game, surrendering a sacrifice fly before striking out Isaac Gonzalez and inducing a fly out from Gutierrez.  

Little hit 3-for-3 with a run scored, and Symes went 2-for-2 with an RBI and run scored. Sebek, Cox, Ainsworht, Feddersen, Giles, and Kerlin each had a hit. 

St. Edward's improves to 35-13 this season with a 33-13 conference record. The Hilltoppers will wrap up the regular season and celebrate its seniors tomorrow with a 1:00 p.m. game and the Senior Day ceremony at 12:40.