MANSFIELD, Texas — St. Edward's built an early lead, answered every punch through seven innings, but still walked away empty-handed Friday night as Central Missouri pulled out an 8–5 extra-inning win in Game 2 at the Fields at Station.

The Hilltoppers led three separate times and took a 5–2 advantage into the sixth before the Jennies methodically worked their way back, forcing extras and breaking the game open in the eighth.

St. Edward's struck first in the opening inning. Darian DeLeon singled up the middle and scored from first on DAFNE MERCADO's RBI double to right-center, setting the tone early.

After Central Missouri evened the score in the second, the Hilltoppers responded with a two-run answer. SOFIA APONTE reached on an error and moved up on CIANA RODRIGUEZ's sacrifice bunt before AVI MARTINEZ ripped a run-scoring double to right-center. Martinez later came home on a wild pitch, pushing St. Edward's ahead 3–1.

Central Missouri trimmed the deficit with a solo home run in the third, but St. Edward's answered again in the fourth when Rodriguez launched her first homer of the season to left field, restoring a two-run cushion.

The Hilltoppers added a fifth run in the bottom of the fifth. DeLeon dropped down a bunt single, advanced into scoring position, and JUNIPER DANIEL crossed the plate on JERZIE PELHAM's sacrifice fly to make it 5–2.

HALEY CARMONA gave St. Edward's five solid innings in the circle, allowing three runs on six hits and keeping the Jennies in check through the middle frames. Central Missouri began to chip away in the sixth with a solo homer and an RBI double, then finally drew even in the seventh on a pinch-hit home run to force extra innings.

The international tiebreaker swung the momentum in the eighth. Central Missouri pushed across three runs on a string of infield hits and RBI singles to take control. St. Edward's put the tying run on base in the bottom half but couldn't muster a late rally.

Martinez finished 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI, while Rodriguez drove in two runs with her home run and sacrifice bunt. DeLeon and HANNA ZACHARY each collected two hits, with Zachary adding a triple in the seventh to spark a late scoring chance.

St. Edward's totaled seven hits and played clean defense, but Central Missouri capitalized on extra-inning opportunities to escape with the win.