LAREDO, Texas — ARIANNA VIDALES set the table, the Hilltoppers' 24 hits were the main course, and a 9-2, 5-0 doubleheader sweep over Texas A&M International was the icing on the cake for St. Edward's softball Saturday.
Vidales opened the afternoon with a slap-hit single to left field — the first of four hits in the opener for St. Edward's senior leadoff hitter — moved into scoring position with a stolen base, and scored on
RYAN RANGEL's RBI single to right field.
St. Edward's scratched out another run in the second on a wild pitch after
JERZIE PELHAM opened the inning with a single and
ALEAH HERNANDEZ moved her to third with a double to left field.
HALEY CARMONA and the Hilltopper defense silenced Texas A&M International early, retiring the first nine Dustdevils before the home team finally threatened in the fourth, loading the bases with one out. Carmona settled in and struck out Miley Vinton and Victoria Espinoza in succession, ending the inning with all three runners stranded.
Pelham's second hit of the day came with much more punch, a leadoff solo blast in the sixth that sparked a four-run inning and stretched the lead to 7-0.
Texas A&M International answered with consecutive RBI singles in the bottom of the sixth, but Pelham went deep again in the seventh with a two-run homer to cap the 9-2 final.
Pelham led St. Edward's in the opener, finishing 3-for-4 with two home runs, three RBI, and three runs scored. Vidales went 4-for-5 with two runs, while Carmona tossed a complete game, allowing two runs on six hits with five strikeouts and no walks.
Senior
KYLEN PADGETT carried that momentum into the second game, spinning a complete-game shutout with seven strikeouts, no walks, and five hits scattered across seven innings.
Both offenses were quiet until
DAFNE MERCADO broke through with a solo home run in the fourth.
DARIAN DELEON's double to left-center helped set up
SLOANE HILL's RBI single in the fifth, and the Hilltoppers added three more runs in the seventh behind an RBI single from Vidales and a two-run error to finish off the 5-0 win.
Deleon was a perfect 4-for-4 with two doubles and two runs in the nightcap, while Vidales and Mercado added two hits apiece. On the day, Vidales went 6-for-9 with three runs scored and an RBI, while Deleon finished 5-for-8 with two doubles and three runs scored.
