CONROE, Texas – St. Edward's softball exploded for six runs in the fourth and survived Saint Martin's five-run seventh inning to leave the DII First Pitch Invitational with its third win, defeating the Saints 8-6. 
 
Saint Martin's starter Holland Jensen walked the first two Hilltoppers and advanced them into scoring position on two wild pitches before exiting the game. Bridget Johnson replaced her in the circle and induced a fielder's choice out at home off the bat of MEGAN MORRIS. 
 
Morris was caught in a rundown trying to steal in the first-and-third scenario, but Aponte scored for the 1-0 lead. 
 
Both teams went scoreless in the second and third innings, then SLOANE HILL sparked St. Edward's with a leadoff double to left field in the fourth. After RYAN RANGEL flied out to center, AUDRI CASTILLO hit an RBI single to left field. 
 
ELLA HUTZLER added two more, overpowering a 1-2 pitch for St. Edward's first home run. St. Edward's ALEA DESERRANO and Ariana Vidales kept things going with back-to-back singles, ending Johnson's afternoon. KATIE DILLON welcomed reliever Chloe Leverington with a single down the left-field line, loading the bases, and Aponte followed with a two-RBI single through the left side. 
 
Leverington intentionally walked Hill, Dillon scored on a wild pitch, and Rangel walked before Castillo grounded into a fielder's choice to end the inning. 
 
Morris hit a leadoff single up the middle in the sixth, and Hill continued her stellar afternoon with an RBI single up the middle for the 8-1 lead. 
 
Saint Martin's erupted for seven consecutive hits to open the seventh. Goodale hit a leadoff single up the middle, Ebner drove her in with an RBI double, and Lawson and Peterson hit back-to-back singles, with the latter ending Aguilar's day with the RBI. Hailey Carmona came out of the bullpen and surrendered a bunt for a single to load the bases, followed by an RBI single from Walker. 
 
Schultz and Griffiths drove in two more runs with an RBI single and fielder's choice before Carmona ended the game with back-to-back strikeouts to end the game. 
 
Hill hit 3-for-3 with an RBI, Dillon was 3-for-4 with a run scored, and Hutzler and DeSerrano were each 2-for-4. 
 
St. Edward's leaves its opening weekend with a 3-2 record. The Hilltoppers will host MSU-Denver with a noon doubleheader.