St. Edward’s University softball pulled off one of the biggest upsets in school history on Oct. 10 when they defeated the University of Texas 6-1 to open up their fall season.  The good fortune did not stop there though; during the game, sophomore center-fielder Cydney Ervin made a diving catch in the game that would garner ESPN recognition.

Since the Hilltoppers’ opponent was UT, a Division I school, the game was nationally televised on Longhorn Network and appropriately set the stage for Ervin’s big moment. The Hilltoppers were up 5-1 in the bottom of the fifth inning when Texas’ Stephanie Ceo hit a fly ball into center, and Ervin made a diving grab after sprinting into position.

The athletic catch was so impressive that it ranked No. 2 on ESPN’s SportsCenter Top 10 plays for Thursday, Oct. 10. It was also a clutch play since Texas had just homered and had runners on first and second base.

“[Our] outfield was playing pretty deep because the Longhorns had very strong batters,” Ervin said, “we adjusted ourselves so we could be ready defensively.”

At the crack of the bat, Ervin ran forward towards the ball and instinctively dove at the very last moment. After tumbling through the catch, Ervin was shocked she even held onto the ball. That shock was intensified upon hearing from her coach that she made Top 10 on SportsCenter.

After hearing the news, she ran to her teammate and roommate Emily Mayfield, and they waited an hour to see the highlight on ESPN.

“Cydney has made a number of ESPN worthy catches, but this one made it only because we were playing UT, and not many of our games are televised,” Mayfield said. “It is not the first time she’s done something awesome, and I am very proud of her.”

Pitcher Sarah Debrow also praised Ervin; after the game, she let her know how proud she was and how comfortable she feels on the pitching mound knowing Ervin ,is defending behind her.

With a win against Texas, the Hilltoppers now see their potential as they attempt to go one step further than last season, making a push for the College World Series.

“Beating [Texas] 6-1 was definitely something to motivate us,” Ervin said, “for practices, workouts and in our next game.”