AUSTIN, Texas – JACK GRANACK pitched a MasterClass, the St. Edward's defense made clutch plays, and the Hilltoppers snuck to critical hits just inside the right-field line for a 2-1 victory over the defending national champion Angelo State Rams. 
 
Angelo State put runners on each of the first four innings, but the Hilltopper defense responded each time to keep the Rams off the scoreboard early. 
 
Granack surrendered a one-out single to Jacob Guerrero in the first, with the latter taking third on a throwing error on a stolen base. Granack battled back with a massive strikeout against Tripp Clark – the nation's leader in RBIs – and escaped unscathed. 
 
After Granack retired three of four in the second, Angelo State threatened with a leadoff double from Hunter Holt in the third. However, Granack got a fast jump off the mound on a sacrifice bunt attempt to get Holt out at third. Guerrero followed with a single, but Clark grounded into an inning-ending double play. 
 
WESTON SYMES sparked St. Edward's with a one-out single through the left side in the bottom of the inning for the Hilltoppers' first hit. TREVOR SEBEK followed with a stand-up double through the right side, just inside the foul line, to score Symes from first. 
 
After DAVIS DREWEK went down swinging, Murray poked an RBI single just inside the right-field foul line for the 2-0 lead. 
 
Clark drew a one-out walk in the top of the sixth and advanced to third on a throwing error from catcher DIEGO SOLIS, throwing behind the runner. The rare mistake cost St. Edward's an unearned run on a wild pitch before Granack got out of the inning. 
 
St. Edward's went down in order in the sixth, but Granack quickly reclaimed the momentum for the Hilltoppers by striking out Kamden Kelton to start the seventh. Tayten Tredaway flied out to the left, and Ryder McDaniel grounded out to third to end the game. 
 
Granack (W, 4-3) went the complete game, striking out four with only two walks, four hits allowed, and no earned runs. Sebek hit 1-for-2 with an RBI, and a run scored. Murray hit 1-for-3 with an RBI. KYLER KERLIN and Symes also had a hit.