AUSTIN, Texas—St. Edward's left 11 runners stranded and fell 3-1 to the University of Texas Permian Basin (UTPB) despite outhitting the Falcons 9-5 in the first game of a four-game home series.
After two scoreless innings in which both teams went down in order in the second, UTPB took advantage of a one-out walk by St. Edward's pitcher
JACK GRANACK. Mason Hamlin followed Jack Haggerty's walk with a single up the middle, putting runners on first and third. After Hamlin stole second, Ethan Flodstrom grounded out to second, scoring Haggerty.
Granack walked back-to-back hitters to open the fourth, then put both runners in scoring position with a wild pitch. After bouncing back to strikeout Clayton Coats, Quincy McGraw drove in Gibrian Pena on a fielder's choice that resulted in no outs for the 2-0 lead.
After retiring the side in order in the top of the fifth, St. Edward's loaded the bases with two outs, getting a single up the middle from
KYLER KERLIN, a double to left field from
TREVOR SEBEK, and a
CARLO FIGUEROA walk. However,
DAVIS DREWEK went down swinging to end the inning.
Carson Johnson and Haggerty hit back-to-back singles to lead off the seventh for UTPB, scoring Johnson on a sacrifice fly to center field hit by Flodstrom.
St. Edward's responded in the bottom of the inning, sparked by a
HUNTER CONNER leadoff walk and single from Kerlin, setting up a Figueroa RBI single up the middle to pull to within 3-1.
The Hilltoppers put the tying run on in the bottom of the ninth, opening with back-to-back singles from Kerlin and
WESTON SYMES. Sebek moved both into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt, but the next two hitters went down swinging to end the game.
Granack went seven innings in the loss, striking out five, walking five, and surrendering five hits and three earned runs.
BEN SMEDSHAMMER pitched two scoreless innings in relief with two walks surrendered and a strikeout.
Kerlin led St. Edward's with three hits in four at-bats, and Sebek went 2-for-3 with a walk. Figueroa's lone hit drove in St. Edward's run.
CONNOR COX,
DILLON FLORES, and Symes also had hits.
St. Edward's drops to 8-11 with an 8-9 conference record. The Hilltoppers will resume their series against UTPB tomorrow with a doubleheader at noon.