ODESSA, Texas – St. Edward's baseball swept Saturday's doubleheader against Texas Permian Basin to clinch the series win and earn its ninth consecutive victory.
Game 1: St. Edward's 8, Texas Permian Basin 3
St. Edward's got two hits each from the second through fourth spots in the lineup and defeated Texas Permian Basin 8-3.
Travis Chesnut drew a walk with one out, getting St. Edward's started in the first inning. He used his speed to advance to third base on
CONNOR COX's single through the left side, setting up
CARLO FIGUEROA's RBI single up the middle.
Texas Permian Basin responded in the bottom of the inning. Haggerty doubled down the third-base line, and Rigstrup hit an RBI single with two outs to tie the game.
St. Edward's added a run in the fourth when
GRAYSON THALLMAN's single was misplayed by right fielder A Prado, scoring
DAVID RIPPLE from first on the error.
Ripple grounded into a double play with bases loaded in the fifth, scoring Figueroa.
NICHOLAS ANDERSON plated another run with an RBI single to right field.
Texas Permian Basin opened the fifth with three consecutive hits and a hit batter. Prado hit a leadoff double, Scull followed with an RBI double, then Haggerty singled up the middle, and a pitch hit Johnson to load the bases. Saucedo drove in another run on a groundout to bring the Falcons to within 5-3.
St. Edward's added three runs in the seventh, scoring on RBI singles from Ripple and
TREVOR SEBEK and a sacrifice bunt from Thallman. The Hilltopper defense ended the game with a double play.
GEORGE HETTRICK (2-1) went four innings, striking out four with seven hits and three runs surrendered.
PARKER TENNILL threw three scoreless, hitless innings for his fifth save. Chestnut hit 2-for-2 with three walks, Cox went 2-for-5 with a run scored, and Figueroa hit 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run.
Game 2: St. Edward's 7, Texas Permian Basin 3
St. Edward's faced its first adversity of the series with bases loaded in the sixth inning, but starting pitcher
JAKUB RAYFIELD left three stranded with a critical strikeout to end the inning, and the Hilltoppers swept the doubleheader with a 7-3 win.
Figueroa put St. Edward's on the scoreboard with an RBI double down the third-base line in the first,
DYLAN TATE drove in another run on a fielder's choice for the 2-0 lead, and Rayfleld retired 12 of the first 15 hitters to keep that score until St. Edward's broke through again in the fifth.
Cox hit an RBI single up the middle after
TRAVIS CHESTNUT reached on an error and stole second. After a pitch hit Figueroa,
MARCO BARRERA hit an RBI double to center field for the 4-0 lead. The Hilltoppers added another run on two errors in the sixth.
Rayfield retired the first two hitters in the sixth, then struck out Johnson but surrendered a runner on the passed ball. Rigtrup singled, and Salcedo walked to load the bases. Rayfield struck out McDaniel but scored a run on another passed ball before striking out Lozoya to end the inning.
St. Edward's scored two runs on two wild pitches in the seventh.
BRENNAN BERDON started the bottom of the inning on the mound and surrendered two runs on three hits before ending the game.
Rayfield struck out five with three walks, one earned run, and two hits surrendered in six innings for his first win in three starts.
St. Edward's improves to 13-3 with a 12-3 conference record with the win. The Hilltoppers will conclude the series tomorrow with the final game at noon.
