TYLER, Texas — St. Edward's capped a statement weekend in East Texas with its second straight win, pulling away late for a 12-6 victory over No. 5 UT Tyler on Sunday to secure back-to-back wins to split the four-game series.
The Hilltoppers (11-6) wasted no time setting the tone, capitalizing on early miscues to build a four-run first inning. A two-RBI double from
DAWSON STUTZ opened the scoring before RBI production from the bottom half of the order. A run-scoring single from
BOSTON LEE and aggressive baserunning pushed the lead to 4-0 before UT Tyler recorded its second out.
From there,
CARSON BLAKELEY settled in on the mound. The right-hander worked six strong innings, allowing just three runs while striking out six, navigating traffic with poise to keep the Patriots from mounting an early response.
UT Tyler (14-4) finally broke through in the fourth, but St. Edward's answered emphatically in the sixth with the swing of the game. After a pair of free passes set the table,
CONNOR COX launched a three-run home run to left, stretching the lead to 7-1. The Hilltoppers added another run in the frame on a sequence of wild pitches, turning a close game into firm control at 8-1.
The Patriots made their push in the seventh, taking advantage of walks and timely hitting to plate five runs and cut the deficit to 8-6. The inning forced St. Edward's to turn to its bullpen early, but
NIC LUNA provided the stabilizing presence, closing the door over the final 2.2 innings and allowing just one hit to preserve the lead.
With momentum hanging in the balance, the Hilltoppers responded as they did in the previous game — with execution and depth. An RBI sequence in the eighth extended the lead, and St. Edward's put the game away in the ninth with three more runs. A two-run single from
AUSTIN PAGE and an RBI knock from Cox highlighted a five-hit inning that created separation for good.
Offensively, St. Edward's pounded out 15 hits with contributions throughout the lineup. Cox led the way with three hits and four RBIs, while
KADE NATHMAN and Dyland Tate each recorded multi-hit, multi-run performances. The Hilltoppers also drew five walks and consistently pressured UT Tyler's defense, which committed four errors on the day.
The victory closes a four-game set in Tyler with momentum firmly on St. Edward's side, as the Hilltoppers handed the nationally-ranked Patriots consecutive losses for the first time this season.
