GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – Revenge is a dish best served over a six-course meal. At least, that's the method that best suited St. Edward's in a 6-2 win over Lubbock Christian, avenging its loss in the LSC Championships semifinal.
St. Edward's didn't have one of its trademark offensive outbursts. No big swings were driving in multiple runs in a single at-bat. But the Hilltoppers strung together enough timely hits and made enough plays to claim a victory in its NCAA South Central Regional opener.
"We need to make the routine play. It's the same thing we talked about all year, throwing strikes, getting ahead in the count, and getting timely hits," Faulds explained before the team left for Colorado. "That's the name of the game, and usually, teams that do those things the best win the game."
St. Edward's loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the second. First, CULLEN AINSWORTH hit a leadoff single to spark the Hilltoppers. Then, LUKE JOHNSON drew a walk, followed by MATTHEW GILES reaching off an error on a perfectly executed sacrifice bunt.
KYLER KERLIN continued his late-season resurgence with a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Ainsworth. After WESTON SYMES popped out on a bunt attempt, Johnson scored on a wild pitch, then TREVOR SEBEK hit an RBI single through the left side to give the Hilltoppers a 3-0 lead.
Symes opened the bottom of the fourth with a leadoff double down the right-field line, and immediately the Hilltoppers turned to small ball, moving Symes to third on a sacrifice bunt. CONNOR COX capitalized with an RBI double to right-center. The freshman left fielder continues to show poise beyond his years at the plate, putting together a 3-for-4 performance from the second spot in the lineup.
Ainsworth and MATTHEW GILES each singled in the bottom of the fifth, putting runners in the corners with two outs after Giles' drive to right field. The Hilltoppers were able to churn out another run on a double steal attempt, with Ainsworth crossing the plate before the defense tagged Giles out to end the inning.
St. Edward's took advantage of Lubbock Christian's control issues to plate another run in the sixth. First, Kerlin drew a leadoff walk, then Symes laid down a sacrifice bunt to move him to second.
Sebek followed with another walk, and Cox followed with an infield single to load the bases. Finally, Kerlin scored on a wild pitch.
The six runs were enough for LUKE SHORT (W, 12-1), who got the start against Lubbock Christian and posted his second 6-2 win in two starts over the Chaps this season. Short went seven innings, surrendering 11 hits but limiting Lubbock Christian to a single run while striking out six and walking only one.
Lubbock Christian put two runners in scoring position in the first and fourth innings, but Short and the defense held the line, retiring the Chaps with a flyout in the first and back-to-back strikeouts to end the fourth.
The Chaps loaded the bases in the sixth, following back-to-back outs to open the inning with two singles and an error, but Carson Ogilvie grounded into a fielder's choice out at third to end the inning.
Lubbock Christian finally broke through in the seventh, getting a leadoff double from Brevin McCool, followed by a single from Eduardo Acosta. Jarred Gibson drove McCool in with a single through the left side for Lubbock Christian's first run.
Nicholas Davis took the mound for St. Edward's to start the eighth. He walked the bases loaded with one out before exiting for AUSTIN ESSEX, who came through in the clutch by striking Acosta out and getting Nate Van Maane to ground into a fielder's choice to escape the inning unscathed.
Gibson looked to give Lubbock Christian momentum with a leadoff home run in the ninth, but the defense quickly shut it down with back-to-back groundouts to second and a pop-up to shortstop to end the game and earn Essex his third save.
In addition to Cox, LANCE LITTLE and Ainsworth had multiple-hit games, with Little hitting 2-for-5 and Ainsworth 2-for-4. Sebek, Giles, and Symes also had a hit. St. Edward's will play Colorado Mesa tomorrow at 7:00 p.m. CT.
