FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE
AUSTIN, Texas – The St. Edward’s baseball team took a one-run lead into the top of the ninth inning but they could not hang onto the lead and fell to #12 Angelo State, 11-5, Tuesday afternoon at Lucian-Hamilton Field.
St. Edward’s (12-10) got on the board early in this bout with Angelo State (17-7). Center fielder Dylan Schuch led off the game with a single up the middle and then came around to score on a sacrifice fly from designated hitter Daniel Rufini.
The Rams got this run back in the third inning. Center fielder Isaac Garcia drove in a run with a single through the left side of the infield.
The Hilltoppers pulled ahead in the fourth inning. Left fielder Justin Shufelt doubled down the right field line. After a groundout advanced Shufelt to third base, third baseman Robert Hays drove him in with an infield single.
This seesaw contest continued in the fifth inning. The Rams scored two runs in the top half of the inning. A groundout and a bases loaded walk did the damage. Luckily for the Hilltoppers, starter Jonathan Burns was able to induce catcher Trey Carter to groundout with bases loaded to end the inning without any further damage being done.
St. Edward’s tacked on another run in the bottom of the fifth inning. With two outs in the inning and first baseman Dexter Moreno on second base, Shufelt came through with a clutch RBI single to right-center field.
After a scoreless sixth inning, both teams put runs on the board in the seventh. Designated hitter Keith Towne blasted a solo home run for the Rams in the top half of the inning. For the Hilltoppers, Shufelt struck again. The two-out terror came up big with a two-run triple to center field. This put the Hilltoppers up by one.
This one run lead disappeared in the ninth inning. Angelo State came out swinging, scoring seven runs on five hits to clinch an 11-5 victory.
Shufelt led the way for the Hilltoppers. He went 3-3 with three runs batted in and a run scored. Moreno went 2-4 and scored two runs. Rufini went 1-4 with an RBI and a run scored.
The Hilltoppers will be back in action Friday afternoon for a doubleheader with Texas A&M-International. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. in Laredo, Texas.
