AUSTIN, Texas – St. Edward's softball erupted for eight runs in the first two innings and held on for an 8-3 win over Oklahoma Christian to split the doubleheader. 
 
St. Edward's struck first in the bottom of the first, getting a towering shot from SLOANE HILL to deep right field for a stand-up triple to score KATIE DILLON, who reached on an infield single. The Hilltoppers scored twice more on a pair of errors from the middle of the Oklahoma Christian defense for the 3-0 lead. 
 
Oklahoma Christian answered immediately in the next inning, with the Brewster sisters bookending the Eagles' first run. Kadence Brewster led off with a single up the middle, just past a diving LAUREN HOYT at second. Kylie Janzen moved her over with a groundout to second, and Karsyn Iltis put runners on the corners with an infield single deep into the hole between shortstop and third, with MEGAN MORRIS able to track down the ball but unable to make the throw across her body. 
 
Kiley Brewster followed with an RBI single to left field, scoring her sister. Tristyn Hamilton drew a walk to load the bases, but St. Edward's held the line at the single run with back-to-back fly balls to the left side. 
 
St. Edward's responded with five runs in the bottom of the inning, doing all its damage with two outs. ARIANNA VIDALES sparked St. Edward's with a one-out double to right-center and advanced to third on an error. After KATIE DILLON grounded out back to the pitcher's circle, Hill drew a walk, and ELLA HUTZLER delivered an RBI single to right field. 
 
Morris followed with a single to left field to load the bases, and Oklahoma Christian starter Brooklin Bain walked GABI LOPEZ to score another run. 
 
Oklahoma Christian went to its bullpen, moving Bain to third and Haylee Monden to the pitch. Monden walked Hoyt to score another run, and AUDRI CASTILLO drove in two with a shot to center field, with Hoyt thrown out at third to end the inning with an 8-1 Hilltopper lead. 
 
The Eagles plated two runs in the top of the third, taking advantage of back-to-back walks to open the inning. St. Edward's staved off one run with a fielder's choice to the pitcher's circle for the force out at third. Janzen flied out to right field to advance the lead runner, and Iltis and Kiley Brewster hit consecutive RBI singles. 
 
Both teams put two on with one out in their next at-bat, leaving the half-inning scoreless. 
 
Oklahoma Christian put two on with no outs in the sixth inning with a Bain leadoff single up the middle and a walk. Aaliyah Brown delivered a shot toward the left-field fence, but JERZIE PELHAM made a spectacular over-the-shoulder catch, Hoyt recorded a pop-out at second, and the Hilltopper defense limited the Eagles to a single run on a line drive hit to the hot corner at third for an RBI infield single. 
 
St. Edward's retired the side in order in the seventh, highlighted by Dillon's spectacular diving catch in right field. 
 
Vidales and Dillon combined to hit 4-for-7 with two runs scored from the top two spots in the lineup. Lopez also had two hits with an RBI and a run scored. LISETTE URQUIDEZ pitched the complete game in the win. 
 
St. Edward's improves to 4-11 with a 2-3 conference record. The Hilltoppers and Eagles conclude the series tomorrow at noon.