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Hilltop Views
The Student News Site of St. Edward's University

Hilltop Views
The Student News Site of St. Edward's University

Hilltop Views

Hilltopper baseball completes Saturday sweep over Dustdevils with 9-2 win

Jack Connolly, Staff Writer • April 20, 2025
Michaela Fallon / Hilltop Views
Senior infielder Josh Graham prepares to toss the ball to the second baseman. Graham, along with senior infielder Carlo Figueroa, was responsible for creating a 7-2 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning after a pinch hit.

Fresh off a roller-coaster comeback 16-15 win in the front end of a double header against the Texas A&M University International University Dustdevils, the Hilltoppers pulled away late in their 9-2 victory to complete a Saturday sweep ahead of senior day.

Game one lasted three-and-a-half hours, and both teams combined for 31 runs and 23 hits. The number one concern for both coaching staff were their bullpens.

Connor Cox was plunked with one out in the bottom of the first inning, and Lance Little ripped a double in the left-center field gap to put runners on second and third. Marco Barrera, who scored four runs in the first game of the day, snuck a single up the left field line, and advanced on an error on the cut off relay, to put the Hilltoppers up 2-0.

The Dustdevils took advantage of a leadoff base hit from Joseph Cruz to score on an RBI-single from Abiam Medina to make it 2-1 in the top of the third.

In his first start of the series, Dustdevil catcher JC Zepeda led off the top of the fifth inning with a single. Joshua Benitez moved him up to second base with a sacrifice bunt, then he advanced to third when Cruz grounded out to second. Shortstop Alex Lugo tied the game, 2-2, with an RBI-double to right-center field.

Dustdevil starting pitcher Jose Duran walked Trevor Sebek and Travis Chestnut before he was pulled with nobody out in the bottom of the fifth. Freshman AJ Sanchez induced a groundout and popout to shallow left-center field to record two quick outs.

Again, Barrera clutched up for the Hilltoppers, smacking a two-run double to left field to give St. Edward’s a 4-2 lead.

“I was going to stay patient again,” Barrera said. “(Head coach) Femath wanted us to see pitches, and I knew that guy had nothing to beat me. I just stayed simple and kept it that way.”

Ensuing batter, David Ripple, clubbed an RBI-single into right field to score Barrera. The Hilltoppers would add five runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth en route to a 9-2 win.

Hilltopper pitcher Jakub Rayfield went the distance for the first time in the season, ending with five hits allowed, three strikeouts and two runs in his final regular season start at Lucian-Hamilton Field.

“I’ve had a lot of fun being a Hillopper,” Rayfield said. “Being able to get my first win in my last game means a lot to me.”

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About the Contributor
Jack Connolly
Jack Connolly, Staff Writer
Jack is a junior from Omaha, Nebraska and this is his second year writing with “Hilltop Views” as a Staff Writer. He loves sports but will also write about music, social issues and politics.