RICHARDSON, Texas — St. Edward's got steady production from the middle of its lineup and a second consecutive strong outing from Carson Blakely out of the bullpen to clinch the series against UT Dallas and secure the fourth seed in the LSC Tournament.
After opening the game with a groundout and walk, the Hilltoppers reeled off four consecutive singles, dealing serious damage through a series of papercuts. DAVID RIPPLE drove in CONNOR COX, then KADE NATHMAN ripped a two-RBI single for a 3-0 lead.
JACOB GLAZENER (W, 3-0) and the Hilltopper defense retired the side in order in the first and third innings and faced only four batters in the second, closing the inning with a double play.
The Comets put two on in the fourth but left both stranded before breaking through in the fifth. A walk and two singles loaded the bases, and Chris Benavidez drove a sacrifice fly into left-center for UT Dallas' first run. The Comets added another on a wild pitch before St. Edward's escaped the inning.
DYLAN TATE drew a leadoff walk in the sixth, and the Hilltoppers manufactured a run with a sacrifice bunt, stolen base, and TREVOR SEBEK's sacrifice fly for a 4-2 lead.
A day after striking out the side to close the door in Game 3, Blakely entered to start the sixth and retired three of four, stranded two in the seventh, and posted three strikeouts in the eighth. St. Edward's defense ended the game with a double play and lineout, taking the series three games to one.
Ripple hit 3-for-4 with an RBI and run out of the cleanup spot, followed by Nathman, who drove in two runs, and Tate, who hit 3-for-3 with a run. Glazener went five innings with three strikeouts, surrendering three hits and five walks.
Blakely earned his first save with four strikeouts and one walk in four scoreless innings of work. Across two appearances in the series, he threw five scoreless innings with seven strikeouts and one walk.
St. Edward's wraps up the regular season with a 31-18 record and the fourth seed in the LSC Tournament. The Hilltoppers will host Lubbock Christian in the first round.
