GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – St. Edward's surrendered 18 hits and was shut down by Colorado Mesa through the first seven innings in a 10-3 loss in the first game in a best-of-three series to decide the NCAA Regional winner.
Rob Sharrar sparked Colorado Mesa with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the third inning as part of a four-run inning. Julian Boyd followed with a single up the middle, advanced to second on a failed pickoff attempt, and moved to third on a Conrad Villafuerte groundout.
Stevenson Reynolds capitalized with an RBI single up the middle. Then, after Harrison Rodgers went down swinging, Caleb Thomason singled through the left side, and Christos Stefanos delivered a two-RBI double for the 4-0 lead.
Colorado Mesa opened the next inning with back-to-back singles, setting up an RBI single from Villafuerte and RBI groundout from Reynolds. Declan Weisner added to the lead with a three-run blast in the seventh.
Starting pitcher Liam Hohenstein (W, 9-0) retired 15 of the first 18 St. Edward's hitters, carrying a no-hitter until KYLER KERLIN's two-out single in the fifth. Hohenstein went seven innings, surrendering only one hit with four walks and seven strikeouts.
St. Edward's broke through with three runs off relief pitcher Bridger Clontz in the eighth, opening the inning with three consecutive singles from TREVOR SEBEK, CONNOR COX, and LANCE LITTLE, whose hit into center field scored Sebek for the Hilltoppers' first run. Two outs and a walk later, DAVIS DREWEK hit a two-RBI single through the right side.
Boyd responded with a leadoff triple in the bottom of the inning, then scored on a passed ball. Colorado Mesa reliever Cooper Vasquez retired the side in order in the ninth to end the game.
WESLEY GAFFORD started on the mound for St. Edward's and went six innings with eight strikeouts while surrendering 12 hits and six earned runs. GEORGE HETTRICK replaced him and surrendered four runs, including three earned, off six hits. LUKE NEGRETE retired all three batters he faced.
St. Edward's drops to 40-16 after the loss and will play Colorado Mesa tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. CST, with a second game immediately after if St. Edwad's wins.
