RICHARDSON, Texas — St. Edward's two four-year starters came through in critical moments, leading the Hilltoppers to a doubleheader sweep of UT Dallas and keeping them in play to host an LSC First Round series.
Reigning LSC Pitcher of the Week CONNOR FREEMAN (W, 8-1) surrendered an RBI groundout in the first, then settled in to keep the Comets scoreless the rest of the way in a complete-game victory.
An error with two outs kept St. Edward's second inning alive, and the Hilltoppers capitalized with a run on a wild pitch and senior TREVOR SEBEK's RBI single through the right side to take the lead.
Freeman and the Hilltopper defense retired six of the next seven hitters before the Comets put together two singles in the fourth, stranding both. The Hilltopper defense erased a leadoff single in the sixth with a 6-4-3 double play.
The Comets loaded the bases with a single and two walks in the seventh, but Freeman got Fernandez to pop up to shallow left to end the game.
CONNOR COX launched his 13th home run of the season in Game 2, finishing 1-for-2 with a pair of walks and three RBI to lead the Hilltoppers to a 7-3 victory and doubleheader sweep.
Small ball opened things up in the second inning, scoring the game's first run on BEN MERRIMAN's squeeze bunt. GRAYSON DOGGETT hit a leadoff single in the fourth, KAIN SANCHEZ was hit by a pitch, and Cox hit a two-out, three-run blast to left center to put the Hilltoppers up 4-0.
An error plated another Hilltopper run in the fifth, and Merriman hit a leadoff double in the sixth, scoring on DAVID RIPPLE's sacrifice fly to extend the lead to six.
UT Dallas finally broke through against FINN MIGNEREY in the sixth, opening with a walk, double, and RBI groundout. Two hitters later, Austin Wallace hit a two-run homer to cut the Hilltopper lead in half at 6-3.
St. Edward's returned to the squeeze play in the seventh, scoring DYLAN TATE on Sanchez's bunt for the game's final margin.
Mignerey (W, 7-2) won his second consecutive start since moving in from the bullpen, striking out one with four walks, five hits, and three runs scattered over six innings. Carson Blakely struck out the side in the seventh to end the game.
KADE NATHMAN and Doggett each produced two-hit games, with Merriman, Ripple, and Sanchez each recording an RBI on a sacrifice.
St. Edward's improves to 30-18 with an opportunity to clinch the fourth seed in the LSC Tournament and host a first-round series with a win tomorrow.
