AUSTIN, Texas – St. Edward's baseball went head-to-head against defending national champion Angelo State in a pitcher's duel but fell short in a 3-2 loss as the Rams split Friday's doubleheader.
LUKE NEGRETE started on the mound for St. Edward's and picked up steam as the game moved forward. He surrendered a leadoff single and two-out walk in the first but escaped unscathed.
Angelo State threatened again in the second with a leadoff double and sacrifice bunt to put a runner on third with one out, but Negrete induced a fly out to shallow center and fielded a groundout to the mound to end the inning.
Negrette retired three of four in the third and fourth innings, and St. Edward's posted a circuitous three-up, three-down fifth with a strikeout and double play.
Angelo State's Braxton Pearson was dominant early, retiring the Hilltoppers in order until DAVIS DREWEK broke through with a single to left-center in the fourth. St. Edward's broke through with DILLON FLORES's leadoff single in the fifth. RYAN FEDDERSEN moved Flores to second with a sac bunt, KYLER KERLIN put runners in the corners with a single through the left side, and WESTON SYMES gave St. Edward's the lead with an RBI double down the left-field line.
Negrete hit Tripp Clark to open the sixth, and St. Edward's immediately went to its bullpen, turning to AUSTIN ESSEX. After Conagher Sands flied out, Essex walked Weston Valasek, and Kamden Kelton hit an RBI single to center field. Essex walked Blake Wilhoite to load the bases, and Ryder McDaniel bunted for a single, scoring Valasek and then Kelton on the throw.
Flores delivered again in the seventh with a one-out single to right field. HUNTER CONNER pinch-ran for Flores, and Feddersen drove him in with an RBI double, advancing to third on the throw to the plate.
Angelo State turned to its bullpen, and Caleb Heuertz struck out the next two to leave Feddersen stranded at third.
St. Edward's drops to 20-24 with a 20-22 conference record. The Hilltoppers and Rams will play again Saturday at 1:00 p.m.
