TYLER, Texas – St. Edward's softball fought to its final out, a grounder to third with two on, but ultimately fell short in a 9-4 loss to the Lone Star Conference's top-ranked team, Texas-Tyler, in the second round of the LSC Championship Tournament.
Michelle Arias put Texas-Tyler on the board early with a three-run blast in the bottom of the first after St. Edward's starting pitcher MCKENNA LEAMON walked two with one strikeout to start the game. KYLEN PADGETT replaced Leamon, got out of the inning, and held the Patriots scoreless in the second.
St. Edward's battled back to tie the game in the third, rallying with two outs after 2023 LSC Pitcher of the Year Tatum Goff walked three consecutive Hilltoppers and surrendered a three-RBI double to right field from ELLA HUTZLER. Texas-Tyler replaced Goff with O'Leary, who got GABI LOPEZ to ground out to shortstop to end the inning.
Texas-Tyler answered immediately with four runs in the third. First, Courtney Plocheck hit a leadoff single, and Arias followed with her second home run of the day, sailing the ball over the center-field fence. Then, after Padgett walked Audrey Escamilla, the Hilltoppers replaced her with RENNA TOOMEY, who surrendered back-to-back singles by Avery Farr and Sam Schott.
The Hilltoppers turned the ball over to CADIE BELLE CURRIE, who retired three of the following four hitters, with Farr scoring on an error.
Arias continued to be a thorn in the side of the Hilltoppers, hitting a one-out infield single in the fourth, stealing two bases, and scoring on a Farr single to right field for the 8-3 lead. She also drew a one-out walk in the sixth, advanced to second on a throwing error, and scored on a fielder's choice from Farr.
Texas-Tyler retired the first two St. Edward's hitters in the seventh before JORDAN NEELY pinch-hit for HAILEY SONKA and doubled down the left-field line. Sonka re-entered the game as the baserunner, and ARIANNA VIDALES reached on an error, putting runners in the corners.
Hutzler followed with an RBI double to left field, scoring Sonka. However, JERZIE PELHAM grounded out to third to end the game.
Vidales, KATIE DILLON, Hutzler, and Neely each had a hit, with Hutzler recording three RBIs. Hutzler had a solid postseason debut, combining to hit 3-for-6 in two games with five RBIs. Vidales also proved to be built for the playoffs with a 3-for-7 performance in two games with three RBIs and two runs scored.
St. Edward's drops to 27-26 after splitting its two LSC Tournament games. The Hilltoppers will wait to see how the rest of the Lone Star Conference and Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Tournaments play out and see if it can maintain its No. 7 regional ranking and a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
