CANYON, Texas – The St. Edward's Hilltoppers plated four runs in the first frame and never looked back as the took the Lone Star Conference series opener from the #13 West Texas A&M Buffaloes on Friday night at Wilder Park.
The Hilltoppers got on the board in the first inning as Stacey Bailey singled up the middle with one out to plate Morgan Allen followed later in the frame by an Eric Worden infield RBI single and a Turner Olson two-run double off of the right field wall for the 4-0 lead.
WT responded in the home half of the frame as
Will Fuenning singled to center with two outs to drive in
Kennedy Badgett to make it 4-1. SEU added to their lead in the third as Worden singled to left center with one out to plate Jake Hahn before the Buffs forced a double play line drive to end the inning at 5-1.
The Buffs cut into the lead in the fourth as
Nollan Koon singled to center with one out to drive in
Adam Becker at 5-2. The Toppers answered in the top of the fifth as Cullen Ainsworth lifted a single to right field with one out to score Hahn for the 6-2 lead.
St. Ed's added to their lead in the top of the sixth on an Allen RBI single to center to score Hunter Conner at 7-3. The Toppers put the game out of reach in the top of the ninth as they plated seven runs on four hits with six of those coming with two outs for the 14-3 lead.
WT cut into the lead in the ninth as
Adam Becker singled to center with the bases loaded followed by a wild pitch and a
Will Fuenning RBI groundout, Becker would score on a passed ball strikeout followed by a
Bryant Bailey RBI walk and an
Eddy Savoie two-run single,
Jacob Butler singled to right field to drive in another before a fielder's choice groundout ended the game 14-11.
Nick Marshall picked up the loss (9-3) on the mound for the Buffs, allowing seven runs (three earned) on 10 hits with three walks and four strikeouts during his 6.0 innings of work.
The Buffs and Hilltoppers continue their LSC series tomorrow afternoon with first pitch of a doubleheader set for 4 p.m. in Canyon.
