AUSTIN, Texas – SLOANE HILL had another monster day, leading St. Edward's softball to a doubleheader sweep of Texas Woman's University with a 3-for-5 performance, three RBI, and two runs scored.
Game 1: St. Edward's 4, Texas Woman's University 3
St. Edward's exploded for four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning,
KATIE DILLON made a spectacular, game-saving diving catch in right field, and the Hilltoppers held TWU off over the final few innings in a 4-3 win.
KYLEN PADGETT walked a TWU hitter in the first three innings but was resilient, keeping TWU off the scoreboard until the fourth. Padgett plunked Trinity Perry, then Madison Reid followed with the first hit for either team with a single through the left side, followed by Lauryn Davies' RBI single up the middle for the lead.
St. Edward's responded with four runs in the bottom of the inning.
AVI MARTINEZ drew a leadoff walk, then
ARIANNA VIDALES and
ELLA HUTZLER followed with back-to-back bunts for singles, with Hutzler catching the Pioneers off-guard. Hill followed with a two-RBI double to deep center field, though Hutzler was thrown out at home on the play.
MEGAN MORRIS followed with an RBI double to left field,
LAUREN HOYT bunted for a single, and
CIANA RODRIGUEZ hit an RBI single into shallow center field for the 4-1 lead.
Vivica Hernandez and Marissa Esponza led the fifth off with a single and walk. Hawwa Townsend flew out to left field, but Lizzy Smith reached on a catcher's interference to load the bases, and Padgett walked Malarie Medina to allow another run.
MADDIE AGUILAR replaced Padgett, and Perry grounded into a 5-2-4 double play with force outs at home and first bases to end the inning.
Espinoza drew a leadoff walk in the seventh, and Medina hit an RBI double to deep center field, but Reid grounded out to third to end the game.
Vidales hit 2-for-3 with a run scored, and Morris hit 2-for-3 with an RBI and run. Hill was 1-for-2 with two RBI and a run. Padgett went 4.1 innings, walking five with one of her two runs surrendered earned. Aguilar (W, 5-2) went 2.2 innings, striking out two, walking two, and surrendering a run on two hits.
Game 2: St. Edward's 5, TWU 2
St. Edward's scored all five runs in the third inning, taking advantage of two errors to sweep the doubleheader with a 5-2 win.
KATIE DILLON,
AVI MARTINEZ, and
ARIANNA VIDALES opened the third with three consecutive infield singles, including bunts from Dillon and Vidales to load the bases.
ELLA HUTZLER grounded into a fielder's choice out at home, but Hill hit an RBI single to right field for the game's first run.
LAUREN HOYT reached on throwing error off a slow grounder to shortstop, plating another run. Texas Woman's committed another throwing run to add two more runs for the 5-0 lead.
Espinoza drove in TWU's first run on a groundout to shortstop in the fifth, then drove in another run in the seventh on a fielder's choice before Hernandez lined out to left field to end the game.
LISETTE URQUIDEZ (W, 7-5) went all seven innings, striking out three with three walks, four hits, and two runs surrendered in the win. Hill hit 2-for-3 with an RBI, and a run scored.
St. Edward's improves to 21-15 with a 15-11 conference record. The Hilltoppers host No. 1-ranked UT Tyler on Monday.
