SAN ANGELO, Texas – St. Edward's baseball fought back from a multi-run deficit twice, only to have its rally stopped by a leaping catch from shortstop Justin Harris in an 8-7 loss to Angelo State to conclude the NCAA Regional.
The Hilltoppers manufactured an early run out of
DIEGO SOLIS's leadoff single in the second inning. Solis ripped a 3-2 pitch into left field, stole second, and advanced to third on
TREVOR SEBEK's sacrifice bunt.
JOSH GRAHAM drove him in on a groundout to shortstop.
Jacob Guerrero responded quickly with a two-out, solo blast to left field in the top of the third. The Rams added three to the lead in the fourth on Blake Wilhoite's RBI single to right-center, followed by a two-RBI double from Justin Harris.
St. Edward's starter
GEORGE HETTRICK kept his composure and silenced the Angelo State bats the next four innings, striking out two and retiring the side in order in the seventh.
TREVOR SEBEK and
DYLAN TATE reached on infield singles in the bottom of the seventh, and the Hilltoppers turned to
MARCO BARRERA to pinch-hit with two outs. Barrera sustained an injury early in St. Edward's win over Lubbock Christian and quickly showed why the Hilltoppers missed his bat out of the cleanup spot with an RBI single up the middle.
St. Edward's tied the game in the bottom of the eighth, sparked by
CONNOR COX's leadoff single, advancing on an error.
LANCE LITTLE followed with an RBI single up the middle, and Sebek tied the game on a groundout up the middle.
In the ninth, Angelo State reclaimed the lead on two-RBI doubles from Lance Hutchinson and Weston Valasek. After Tate lined out to open the bottom of the inning, the Hilltoppers reeled off four consecutive singles, starting with a pinch-hitting
JAKE WILEY shot up the middle, and including back-to-back RBI singles from Cox and Little. Angelo State's Luke Olson hit
CARLO FIGUEROA to load the bases, and Solis welcomed reliever Josh Reed with a sac fly RBI to left-center.
Sebek lined a shot up the middle, but Harris was playing deep and leapt to catch the final out of the game.
Cox and Little each posted two hits. Cox hit one RBI and scored twice, and Little drove in two RBI and scored once. St. Edward's ends its season with a 37-23 record.
