CANYON, Texas — On a cold, overcast afternoon at Wilder Park, St. Edward's baseball showed both resilience and late-inning poise, rallying twice and then pulling away in the ninth to earn a 10–9 road win over West Texas A&M and even the series.
The Hilltoppers trailed for much of the game and faced multiple momentum swings, but a five-run sixth inning erased a five-run deficit, and a two-run ninth provided the decisive margin in a back-and-forth Lone Star Conference showdown.
West Texas A&M struck first in the opening inning, capitalizing on a walk and an error to plate an unearned run. St. Edward's answered quickly in the second, as
NICO RUEDAS turned the game with one swing, launching a two-run home run to left field to give the Hilltoppers their first lead.
The Buffs responded with a four-run third and added two more in the fourth to build a 7–2 advantage, forcing St. Edward's to play from behind as the game settled into a grind shaped by walks, hit batters, and defensive miscues on both sides.
The turning point came in the sixth.
After back-to-back walks and a hit batter loaded the bases,
TREVOR SEBEK delivered the defining moment of the afternoon, crushing a grand slam to right-center that pulled the Hilltoppers within one. Two batters later,
DAWSON STUTZ followed with a solo home run to left, completing a five-run frame that erased the deficit and knotted the game at 7–7.
From there, the bullpens took control.
BRANDON HUFF, who entered in relief in the fourth, steadied the game across five innings, limiting damage and keeping St. Edward's within striking distance. Huff scattered six hits, allowed four runs (two earned), and worked through traffic to earn the win.
St. Edward's regained the lead in the eighth. A walk to
BOSTON LEE, a sacrifice bunt by
KHAMANI BLAKNEY, and aggressive baserunning set the table before
CONNOR COX drove in the go-ahead run with a single up the middle.
The advantage was short-lived, as West Texas A&M used a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the eighth to reclaim a 9–8 lead, once again forcing the Hilltoppers to respond.
They did.
In the ninth,
NICO RUEDAS worked a walk and advanced to third before
BOSTON LEE delivered the tying RBI single. One out later,
DAWSON STUTZ came through again, lining the eventual game-winning single to put St. Edward's back on top, 10–9.
FINN MIGNEREY closed the door in the bottom of the ninth, retiring the side in order to secure the save and cap a comeback-filled afternoon.
Ruedas finished with three runs scored and two RBIs, while Sebek drove in four and Stutz added two hits, two RBIs, and a home run. The Hilltoppers drew 12 walks on the day and overcame five defensive errors, leaning on timely power and late execution to even their record at 1–1.
St. Edward's and West Texas A&M continue the series this weekend in Canyon.
