AUSTIN, Texas – LAUREN HOYT led a solid Hilltopper team defensive performance but St. Edward's softball left three runners stranded in the bottom of the sixth of a 2-0 loss to Oklahoma Christian. 
 
Brooklin Bain sparked Oklahoma Christian with a leadoff stand-up triple, lining a shot just past the outstretched arms of a diving JERZIE PELHAM in left field. Whitney Walde drove her in with a sacrifice fly to right field for the game's first run. 
 
Aaliyah Brown followed with a walk, but shortstop MEGAN MORRIS mitigated the damage with an inning-ending double play on Kristen Whitehouse's line drive up the middle. 
 
The Hilltopper defense carried the momentum into the next inning, retiring the side in order with pitcher KYLEN PADGETT fanning Marissa Powell to end the inning. 
 
ELLA HUTZLER drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the second, battling back from a 1-2 count, and LAUREN HOYT moved her over with a sacrifice bunt. However, Oklahoma Christian starter Grace Anderson struck out RYAN RANGEL, and Morris grounded out to third to leave Hutzler stranded. 
 
Anderson helped her own cause the next inning with a leadoff walk, but the Hilltopper defense held strong and retired the next three. 
 
Oklahoma Christian hit back-to-back one-out singles in the top of the fourth, getting a shot to right-center from Whitehouse and up the middle from Kadence Brewster. Hoyt kept both stranded defensively at second, making a heady defensive play backing up Hutzler at first, tracking down a shot that ricocheted off the latter's glove for the out, then fielding a routine grounder to end the inning. 
 
Hoyt came through defensively again in the fifth, taking the circuitous path to retire the side in order with an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play. 
 
Walde opened the sixth with a leadoff double, sending the ball to deep center where ARIANNA VIDALES couldn't pull in the over-the-shoulder grab at a full sprint. Brown followed with a single to right, putting runners on the corners. Oklahoma Christian turned to Presley Main to run for Brown, and the Eagles executed the double steal to plate a run for the 2-0 lead. 
 
St. Edward's put together its best opportunity of the game in the bottom of the sixth but left three stranded. Pelham reached on an error to open the bottom of the inning, Vidales laid down a perfect bunt for a single, and Dillon placed a single just into left field to load the bases but left all three stranded. SLOANE HILL grounded into a fielder's choice with force out at home, Vidales was thrown out at the plate trying to score on a passed ball, and Hutzler flied out to center. 
 
Padgett went all seven innings, striking out two with five hits and two walks surrendered in the loss. Vidales, Pelham, and Dillon each had a hit for St. Edward's. St. Edward's drops to 3-11 with a 1-3 conference record after the loss.