AUSTIN, Texas – WYATT BELL dug in at the plate with a full count and two outs for the final at-bat of his collegiate career and drilled a two-RBI single back up the middle, earning uproarious applause from the dugout and the Hilltopper faithful in the stands who turned up to celebrate its seniors and a 16-0 Hilltopper win to sweep Texas A&M International.
Eleven seniors who've been integral in building and maintaining the culture of St. Edward's baseball got one last moment in the sun, with several creating a parting memory on the field.
CULLEN AINSWORTH brought the fireworks to his own ceremony, launching a leadoff solo blast to left field for the game's first run, finishing 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored. In the next inning, DAVIS DREWEK lifted a shot over the right-field net and into the nearby neighborhood for a three-run blast to break the game open.
The Hilltoppers forced the Dustdevils to go to their bullpen in the fifth when starter Joseph Garza-Delapena surrendered two more runs. WESTON SYMES led off with a walk, then TREVOR SEBEK perfectly executed a hit-and-run with Symes advancing from first to third on a groundout to third, sliding headfirst out of the tag's reach, hugging the base to prevent his momentum from carrying him off the bag.
Symes' baserunning paid off when Garza-Delapena threw a wild pitch, scoring the first run of the inning. Then, CONNOR COX drove the ball into right field for a double, and LANCE LITTLE was hit by a pitch, setting up Davis's RBI double up the middle.
Texas A&M International turned to relief pitcher Isaac Ponce, who struck out the next hitter but walked RYAN FEDDERSEN and MATTHEW GILES back-to-back to score Little.
Danny Dial replaced Ponce to start the sixth, and the Hilltoppers loaded the bases with a Symes leadoff walk, Sebek single through the right side, and a walk for Cox. Little capitalized with a sacrifice fly to deep center field, prompting a pitching change in an inning where the Dustdevils would cycle through four pitchers.
Drewek reached on a fielder's choice with the out at second, putting runners on the corners. Then Ainsworth hit a frozen rope to left field for an RBI double, and Feddersen walked to load the bases. Giles, a senior who broke into the lineup in the middle of the season and has made the most of his opportunity, delivered an RBI single through the left side, finishing the day 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored.
Bell pinch-hit for Kerlin and drove in Ainsworth and Feddersen for the 12-0 lead. Senior REID STIEFEL followed in the lineup, replacing Symes. He hit a shot between left fielder Brock Hargens and shortstop Isaac Gonzalez, with the latter calling off Hargens but unable to make the play with his momentum taking him to the ground to give Stiefel the RBI single.
Sebek capped off the nine-run inning by hitting a laser over the right-field fence for the three-run blast for St. Edward's final runs.
Senior JACK ENGELMANN entered the game to start the seventh as the first reliever to take the mound for St. Edward's and drew fly out from Cameron Stevenson, then blew a high fastball past Cervantes for the second out of the inning. Then, head coach Bryan Faulds turned to senior ALEJANDRO BETANCOURT, who surrendered a single and ended the game by getting Hargens to ground into a fielder's choice.
And, as much as the game was a celebration of its seniors, it also offered a glimpse of the future, with freshman starting pitcher JARED SCHAEFFER putting on a masterful performance, striking out seven with no walks, no runs, and only five hits surrendered in six innings of work for his fourth win.
St. Edward's wraps up the regular season with a 36-13 record, including 34-13 in conference play, clinching the second seed in the Lone Star Conference Tournament. The Hilltoppers will host the opening weekend for one side of the bracket, with the first game on Friday.
