CANYON, Texas – St. Edward's baseball splits its doubleheader against No. 19-ranked West Texas A&M, buying itself an opportunity to split the series on Sunday.
Game 1: West Texas A&M 2, St. Edward's 1
In a defensive duel with the slimmest margins for error, the two committed by St. Edward's baseball proved costly in a 2-1 loss to nationally-ranked West Texas A&M.
BRENNAN BERDON started on the mound for St. Edward's and pitched a gem, going six complete innings with only five hits and one unearned run allowed with five strikeouts in a decision-less start.
Berdon surrendered a leadoff single in the bottom of the first but got Rodric Black out immediately with a pick-off move to first. He later allowed a two-out single to Ryan Camacho but struck Kory Schmidt out looking to get out of the inning.
After retiring the side in order with two strikeouts in the second, Berdon loaded the bases with two walks and a hit batter with two outs, but Schmidt lined out to right field to leave all three runners stranded.
West Texas A&M went down in order in the fourth, and St. Edward's left two stranded in the fifth before the Buffalos broke through in the fifth when a double turned into an extra base on an error, scoring Wittmann on a groundout.
DAVIS DREWEK drew a leadoff walk in the sixth. Deigo Solis advanced him with a sacrifice bunt, Drewek took third on a wild pitch, and
TY MURRAY drove him in with a sacrifice fly to center field.
BEN SMEDSHAMMER replaced Berdon in the seventh and retired the first hitter. However, an error at third put a runner in scoring position, and Kyle Micklus took advantage with a walk-off single through the right side for the win.
TREVOR SEBEK and Murray each had two hits for the Hilltoppers.
Game 2: St. Edward's 10, West Texas A&M 0
JAKUB RAYFIELD pitched a complete-game shutout for St. Edward's, and the Hilltoppers took advantage of five errors and strung together eight hits for 10 runs in the 10-0 win.
MATT JOHNSON was Hilltoppers' first base runner of the game, reaching on an error with one out in the second inning. After advancing to second on a passed ball, Drewek reached on a fielding error that scored Johnson. Deigo Solis followed with an RBI double to left, and St. Edward's scored on a third West Texas A&M error in the inning for a 3-0 lead.
West Texas A&M committed two more errors to put two of the first three Hilltoppers on base in the top of the third. Johnson took advantage with an RBI single up the middle, and Drewek followed with a two-RBI single to right-center. After Solis went down swinging, Murray drove in the fourth run of the inning with a single through the left side for the 7-0 lead.
Solis added another run in the fifth with a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Sebek, who led off with a single up the middle.
Murray and
KYLER KERLIN produced back-to-back RBIs with a single and a fielder's choice in the seventh for the 10-0 lead.
Rayfield retired the side in order in the first, third, and fourth innings with double plays in the latter two innings. He finished with six strikeouts and, only two walks and five hits surrendered in his first win of the season.
St. Edward's ends the day with a 4-5 record, including 4-3 in conference play. The Hilltoppers will conclude their series against West Texas A&M tomorrow.
