AUSTIN, Texas — The first three games of the series tilted on wild swings and explosive offenses in St. Edward's favor. Angelo State brought the game back to the margins, eking out a classic pitcher's duel with a 3-2 win in extra innings to leave the Hilltop with a split.
Both pitching staffs set the tone early and never let it go.
JACOB GLAZENER worked through traffic early, stranding two Rams in each of the first and second innings, with all four in scoring position. The Rams finally broke through in the third, sparked by Chase Pendley's leadoff double off the left-field wall.
Glazener battled back with three consecutive outs, striking out designated hitter Brett Smajstrla to end the inning, but not before Pendley moved to third and scored on consecutive groundouts.
The Hilltoppers responded immediately in the bottom of the inning.
DYLAN TATE mirrored Pendley with a leadoff double off the fence, stole second, and
BEN MERRIMAN moved him to third on a sacrifice bunt.
CONNOR COX understood his job, lifting the ball twice into deep left field, fouling one off before driving Tate in on a sacrifice fly to even the score.
Glazener gave St. Edward's 4.1 solid innings, striking out three with only one walk and two runs surrendered before ceding the mound to
FINN MIGNEREY, who got out of the inning with two runners left stranded.
Angelo State starter Luke Spencer matched the Hilltoppers' effort, striking out seven over 8.1 innings while allowing just four hits and two runs before an injury removed him from the game in the ninth. Garrett Baumann replaced him.
Cox sparked the Hilltoppers again with a leadoff single up the middle. Head coach Ryan Femath turned to
GRAYSON DOGGETT's speed off the bench, and the Hilltoppers manufactured a run with a sacrifice bunt, an infield single that put runners on first and third, and a double steal that intentionally sacrificed an out at second to plate the equalizer.
DAVID RIPPLE accounted for the second Hilltopper hit, placing the ball perfectly in the gap between shortstop and third. A diving stop by Payton Bush kept the ball in the infield and held the RBI off the board on the play.
Tate Green led off with a single for the Rams, and an error moved him to third, where he beat a tag at the plate on an RBI bunt from Austin Beck. Baumann closed the door on the Hilltoppers in the bottom of the inning, retiring the side in order.
DYLAN TATE led St. Edward's with a 2-for-3 performance, scoring a run. Cox had a hit and an RBI. Mignerey was solid with three strikeouts and only two hits surrendered in 5.2 innings. St. Edward's will continue conference play on the road against Texas A&M International.
