Justin Shufelt
FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE
AUSTIN, Texas – The St. Edward’s baseball team split a doubleheader with Lincoln Friday afternoon at Lucian-Hamilton Field. The Hilltoppers dropped the first game, 6-3, and claimed victory in the second contest, 12-4.
In game one, both teams got off to a slow start offensively but it was St. Edward’s (5-4, 4-2 HC) that got on the board first. The Hilltoppers scored two runs in the fourth inning, courtesy of a two-run home run to left center field off of the bat of right fielder Justin Shufelt.
Lincoln (1-5, 1-5 HC) came back in the top of the fifth inning. RBI singles by center fielder Zane Walker and third baseman James Johndrow tied the game, 2-2. Second baseman Seth Blackwell followed this up with a three-run homerun to left field.
The Hilltoppers took advantage of a two-out rally in the bottom half of the inning to cut into the Blue Tiger lead. First baseman Dexter Moreno scored third baseman Robert Hays with a double to right center field.
The Blue Tigers got this run back in the sixth inning. First baseman Drew Horrel led off the inning with a solo home run to left field. This did for Lincoln. They went on to win the game, 6-3.
Shufelt led the way for the Hilltoppers, going 1-4 with his first home run of the season and two RBI’s. Left fielder Dylan Schuch was 2-3, while Hays went 1-2 with two runs scored.
In game two, St. Edward’s got on the board in the first inning. Moreno had an RBI single and right fielder Mike Hancock drove in a run with a bases loaded walk.
The Blue Tigers came back with a two-spot of their own in the third inning. Johndrow launched a two-run home run to left center field to tie it up.
St. Edward’s got another run in the third inning when Hancock doubled in a run.
In the fourth inning, the Hilltoppers added to their lead. Dylan Schuch started the scoring, driving in shortstop Jeremy Houser with an infield single. After stealing second and third base, Schuch came around to score on a groundout off the bat of second baseman Drew Cross.
The runs kept coming for St. Edward’s in the fifth inning. A series of passed balls by the Blue Tiger cater allowed center fielder Chandler Mosser to come around and score. Schuch followed this up with an RBI sacrifice fly. The next batter, Cross, knocked in a run with a single up the middle.
Lincoln’s offense got jumpstarted in the sixth inning. The Blue Tigers scored one run on a throwing error by Houser. They scored again on an RBI single by catcher Steve Garza.
Not to be outdone, the Hilltopper offense answered in the bottom half of the inning. Mosser came through with a two-run triple to right center field. Hancock drove in Mosser with an RBI sacrifice fly to center field.
The Hilltoppers tacked on one more run in the seventh inning. Justin Shufelt came into the game as a pinch hitter and drove one over the right center field fence for a solo home run. This would end the scoring for the Hilltoppers and they would take the game, 12-4.
Mosser led the way for the Hilltoppers, going 2-2 with two runs batted in and three runs scored. Cross went 2-3 with two RBI’s. Moreno went 3-4 and Hancock drove in three runs as well.
On the mound for the Hilltoppers, Bret Friemel put in a stellar effort. Friemel (2-0) worked six solid innings, giving up two earned runs and striking out seven Blue Tiger hitters.
The Hilltoppers will be back in action Saturday morning to close out the weekend series against Lincoln. The first pitch is set for 11 a.m. at Lucian-Hamilton Field.
