AUSTIN, Texas – MARCO BARRERA delivered a win for St. Edward's by the slimmest of margins, dodging UT Tyler catcher Blake Labuda's tag sprinting down the third-base line for the walk-off run and 5-4 victory in the 11th inning.
The first game between the two nationally-ranked Lone Star Conference teams didn't disappoint, opening in a classic pitchers' duel between two undefeated aces in St. Edward's
KOBE JARAMILLO and UT Tyler's Rawley Hector.
St. Edward's opened the game with a three-up, three-down inning, following a Connor Clark leadoff single with a 6-3 double play. Jaramillo followed by striking out Ethan Menard.
CONNOR COX put St. Edward's on the board in the bottom of the inning with a sacrifice fly to left field, driving in
TREVOR SEBEK, who hit a leadoff single, then advanced to third on a throwing error off Travis Chesnut's grounder to the shortstop.
Labuda tied the game in the top of the second with a leadoff home run to left field, his third of the season. Menard hit a two-out solo blast in the third inning, narrowly clearing the glove of Barrera in left-center for his second home run of the season.
St. Edward's catcher
NICHOLAS ANDERSON returned the favor in the bottom of the fifth, tying the game with a towering shot to left field for the two-out home run, recording his third home run and 19th RBI this year.
UT-Tyler loaded the bases with two outs in the sixth after Jaramillo followed back-to-back strikeouts with a runner on first with consecutive walks. However, Bryce Jewell grounded out to end the inning.
The Patriots turned to Miles Clack out of the bullpen to start the seventh, and Barrera greeted him with a double to left-center, followed immediately by
DYLAN TATE's RBI single through the left side, advancing to second on the throw home.
Grant Garza replaced Clack and moved Tate to third on the wild pitch that walked
DIEGO SOLIS to put runners on the corners, and Anderson scored Tate on the sacrifice bunt.
Jaramillo came out to start the eighth inning, walking Cade Conway as he eclipsed his season-high in pitch count.
PARKER TENNILL replaced Jaramillo and walked Justin Williams. Then, Tanner Hornback moved both runners over with a sacrifice bunt.
Mason Hammonds lined out to shallow right field, and Jewell hit a comebacker to the mound that Tennill knocked down with his bare hand, but couldn't make the throw, scoring a run. Clark followed with an RBI single to tie the game.
UT Tyler left two runners stranded in the ninth and 11th innings, and St. Edward's left two in the eighth and 10th. Barrera opened the 11th with a leadoff single through the right side, then tagged up on Tate's fly out to center. Solis walked, Barrera advanced to third on a wild pitch, and Anderson executed another safety squeeze bunt.
Anderson bunted the ball a few feet in front of the plate, and Barrera committed to the run too early. Labuda fielded the ball cleanly and appeared to have St. Edward's centerfielder dead to rights, but Barrera dodged the tag and slid into home to end the game.
Sebek and Anderson each hit 2-for-4, with Anderson driving in three RBI and scoring a run. Barrera was 2-for-5 with two runs scored. Cox hit 1-for-2 and was intentionally walked twice.
Jaramillo went seven innings in his first no-decision start, striking out 11 with four walks, eight hits, and three runs surrendered. Hector went six innings and struck out nine with four hits and two runs surrendered.
MARLEY BERNAL (3-0) earned the win with 1.2 scoreless, hitless innings.
St. Edward's improves to 15-3 with a 14-3 conference record, dropping UT Tyler to 14-3 in conference. The two teams will continue the series with a doubleheader tomorrow starting at noon.
