AUSTIN, Texas – St. Edward's bullpen struggled to close out a five-run lead, surrendering six runs in the eighth inning of a 12-11 loss to the St. Mary's Rattlers to send the Lone Star Conference Tournament Battle of the Saints to a deciding third game on Sunday. 
 
The Hilltoppers went all-in with their third and fourth starters and closer PARKER TENNILL in the loss. JAKUB RAYFIELD returned for a second consecutive day, and Carson Blakely picked up the loss. 
 
St. Mary's struck first, drawing two walks with one out in the third inning, advancing on an error, then scoring on a balk and wild pitch. St. Edward's tied the game in the bottom of the inning. TRAVIS CHESTNUT and CONNOR COX hit back-to-back singles, LANCE LITTLE drove in a run on a sac fly, and DIEGO SOLIS poked the ball through the right side for an RBI single. 
 
Rattlers' starter Kaleb Gauna opened the fourth inning with a walk and a hit batter, ceding a run on DYLAN TATE's sacrifice bunt, with the latter reaching on an error that plated a second run. Chestnut followed with a sac fly RBI, and Little went yard to extend the lead to 6-2. 
 
An error and a walk put two St. Mary's runners on in the fifth inning, and the Rattlers turned that into a run on Easton Parrish's fielder's choice RBI on a failed double play attempt with the out at second. 
 
Gabe Cook replaced Cameron Hodges to start the fifth, and Sebek and JOSH GRAHAM greeted him with back-to-back singles. The Hilltoppers followed with back-to-back sacrifice bunts, getting an RBI on Chestnut's. Cox followed with an RBI double to deep center field for the 8-3 lead. 
 
Rayfield replaced GEORGE HETTRICK to start the seventh and surrendered a two-run blast to Garrett Brooks. An error on a single out in centerfield scored another run. 
 
St. Edward's responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning, scoring all three with two outs on reliever Brown. Tate drew a leadoff walk, stole second, and advanced on the throw from the plate. Chesnut followed with a walk and a stolen base, and Cox drilled a shot up the middle off the second-base umpire, resulting in a dead ball to load the bases. Tate scored on a wild pitch, and Little followed with a two-RBI single to left field for the 11-6 lead. 
 
Tennill made his first mound appearance in three weeks, starting the eighth inning. After getting Malone to foul out, Tennill loaded the bases with a single and two walks. After Parrish popped up to third base, Hogan Heller hit a two-RBI single through the left side. 
 
Blakely replaced Tennill and hit King with bases loaded, surrendered a two-RBI single to tie the game, and an RBI single from Malone to give St. Mary's the lead. Chestnut tied the game with an RBI single through the left side, but St. Mary's recorded three consecutive singles with two outs in the ninth, scoring the go-ahead run on pinch-hitter Matt Gauna's single to center field. The Hilltoppers went three-up, three-down in the bottom of the ninth, ending the game on a double play. 
 
St. Edward's and St. Mary's will wrap up the series tomorrow with a final game starting at 1:00 p.m.