AUSTIN, Texas — CONNOR FREEMAN did more than clinch the four-game series for St. Edward's. He strangled the life out of the Texas A&M-Kingsville offense with a nine-inning, complete game shutout in a 6-0 victory.

Freeman announced his presence from the opening pitch, freezing Braden Duff, then fanning him for the opening out. He'd bookend the game with another strikeout, surrendering no walks and scattering just six hits across nine innings.

Behind him, the Hilltoppers wasted no time giving their ace room to operate. BEN MERRIMAN opened the bottom of the first with a single, and after moving into scoring position, came home on JACOB BULCROFT's RBI fielder's choice. KADE NATHMAN followed with a sacrifice bunt to plate CONNOR COX, staking St. Edward's to a 2-0 lead before Texas A&M-Kingsville could settle in.

St. Edward's added on in the second when GRAYSON DOGGETT singled and later scored on Cox's RBI double to left-center, pushing the advantage to 3-0.

That was more than enough for Freeman, who worked efficiently and erased the few threats that developed. The junior induced a double play in the fourth and picked off a runner in the fifth, keeping the Dustdevils from building any sustained momentum.

The Hilltoppers created further separation in the sixth. TREVOR SEBEK tripled down the right field line and scored on Merriman's sacrifice bunt, extending the lead to 4-0.

St. Edward's put the game out of reach in the eighth. Doggett worked a leadoff walk, Sebek advanced him with a sacrifice bunt that turned into an error, and Nicodemus Ruedas delivered the knockout blow with a two-run bunt single down the first-base line, scoring both runners for a 6-0 cushion.

Freeman handled the rest. A hit-by-pitch was the only blemish in the ninth, inducing a fielder's choice before finishing what he started with his third strikeout of the afternoon.

St. Edward's backed its ace with 10 hits at the plate, with Ruedas driving in two, Bulcroft and Nathman each adding an RBI, and Cox reaching base four times.

But the story belonged to Freeman, who needed just 123 pitches to carve through the Dustdevils lineup and deliver one of the most dominant outings of the season, securing the series win on the Hilltop.