CANYON, Texas — Sometimes early-season baseball is less about polish and more about persistence.

No. 26-ranked St. Edward's showed plenty of both Sunday afternoon at Wilder Park, erasing multiple deficits and riding a thunderous middle innings surge to a 17–13 win over West Texas A&M, securing a 2–1 victory in the season-opening series.

The Hilltoppers trailed 6–0 through three innings and later found themselves down 12–1 after a long fifth, but never blinked. Instead, St. Edward's chipped away, then flipped the game entirely with an eight-run sixth inning that turned the finale — and the series — on its head.

Preseason All-American CONNOR COX delivered the defining performance of the weekend. The senior first baseman finished 3-for-4 with two home runs, a double, four RBIs, and three runs scored, punctuating the comeback with back-to-back long balls in the sixth and seventh innings as the Hilltoppers surged in front.

BOSTON LEE sparked the rally from the bottom half of the lineup, launching a solo homer to open the sixth before adding a pair of RBI hits later in the frame. Lee went 3-for-5 with a home run, four RBIs, and three runs scored, consistently applying pressure as St. Edward's sent 13 batters to the plate in the inning.

DYLAN TATE and DAWSON STUTZ followed with timely contact, each driving in key runs as the Hilltoppers turned a five-run deficit into a 9–12 game by the end of the sixth. Cox's two-run blast to right-center capped the rally, pulling St. Edward's within striking distance before the bullpen locked things down.

FINN MIGNEREY steadied the game when the Hilltoppers needed it most. Entering in the sixth, the right-hander delivered four strong innings, allowing just one run on three hits while striking out three to earn the win. His ability to limit damage gave the offense time to complete the comeback.

St. Edward's seized control for good in the eighth inning. NICO RUEDAS doubled to lead off the frame, and the Hilltoppers followed with six runs on five hits, highlighted by Cox's RBI ground-rule double and AUSTIN PAGE's two-run double to left, pushing the lead to 16–13.

KAIN SANCHEZ added a sacrifice fly in the ninth to provide breathing room, and the Hilltopper defense closed the door with a double play to end the game.

The series win underscored the depth of St. Edward's lineup. Through the opening weekend, Cox leads the Hilltoppers with multiple extra-base hits and a team-high RBI total, while Lee and Stutz each delivered consistent production across all three games. Page also impressed, finishing the series with multiple doubles and key RBIs from the designated hitter spot.

After dropping the opener, St. Edward's responded with back-to-back wins to open the season 2–1, showing both resilience and firepower early in 2026. The Hilltoppers will look to carry that momentum forward as they host Eastern New Mexico next weekend.