AUSTIN, Texas—JACK GRANACK pitched six solid innings, and
TY MURRAY sparked seven unanswered St. Edward's baseball runs, helping the Hilltoppers to an 8-3 win over Arkansas Fort Smith to open the four-game series.
Granack opened the game strong, striking out leadoff hitter Blayse Quarnstrom in a three-up, three-down first inning for the Hilltopper defense.
After retiring the first four Lions in order with two strikeouts, Granack surrendered a single up the middle to Michel Brinton. Then, he walked Matt Schilling to set up Ryan Riggs' RBI single to right field. With runners on first and second, Arkansas' Jordon Helm grounded into a fielder's choice to second baseman
KYLER KERLIN with the out at second, but shortstop
WESTON SYMES opted to try and get the lead runner out at the plate instead of the double play, and Brinton slid under the tag on a high throw for the 2-0 lead.
Cleanup hitter
TY MURRAY responded immediately in the bottom of the inning, hitting a frozen rope into the left-field netting for a leadoff home run to cut the lead in half. It was Murray's second home run of the season and another solid performance. He was 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored, adding a single and double.
Granack bounced back with another 1-2-3 inning at the top of the third, striking out Taylor and Patrick to end the inning. The Hilltoppers rode the momentum into the lead in their next at-bat.
WESTON SYMES opened with a walk, and the Hilltoppers turned him into a run with assembly line efficiency.
TREVOR SEBEK moved Symes over with a sacrifice bunt,
CARLO FIGUEROA put runners on the corners with a single to left field, and
CONNOR COX drove him in with a fielder's choice on an out at second to tie the game.
Murray followed with an infield single deep in the hole to short for his second hit of the game, and Arkansas Fort Smith's starting pitcher extended the inning by trying to barehand Diego
Solis's bunt, loading the bases. Kerlin took advantage with a two-RBI single to left field to give the Hilltoppers the lead, and
DAVIS DREWEK added to it with an RBI single through the right side to score Solis for the 5-2 lead.
St. Edward's added two more runs in the fourth, with back-to-back RBI doubles from Cox and Murray.
Granack got into a jam in the fifth inning when Arkansas Fort Smith loaded the bases with two outs on two singles and a walk. He allowed one run to cross on a wild pitch and then reloaded the bases on another walk, but Sebek mitigated the damage with the unassisted fielder's choice out at third.
St. Edward's brought its starter out for the sixth inning, and Arkansas Fort Smith threatened with a leadoff walk and a one-out single. After a mound visit from head coach Ryan Femath, Granack assured the team he'd get through the inning and made good on his word, stranding both runners to end his day with only three runs surrendered and eight strikeouts in the win.
Solis added to the lead again in the seventh after a pitch hit him. A wild pitch moved Solis to second, and Kerlin drove him in with a shot down the line just past first baseman Nico Patrick's glove. Kerlin's two hits and three RBI pushed him past last year's RBI total with half a season remaining, continuing 2023's late-season run by St. Edward's second baseman.
GEORGE HETTRICK took the mound to start the seventh and went three innings with three strikeouts, three hits, and no walks to pick up his first save.
St. Edward's improves to 12-14 with a 12-13 conference record. The Hilltoppers will continue their series against the Lions with a doubleheader tomorrow.
