SAN ANGELO, TEXAS – St. Edward's had the upper hand on UT Tyler on Thursday afternoon as they took a 5-4 win in game one of the LSC Tournament's second weekend.
 
It was the Patriots who had the edge early in the game, as they plated a run in the top of the first inning to take a 1-0 lead. As Ethan Bedgood reached on a fielder's choice, Austin Ochoa singled him over to third, and then Nathan Carriere came through with a clutch single to center field to drive home Bedgood.
 
Starter Dylan Blomquist worked a scoreless first with a strikeout as he worked around a single to post a zero and keep the Patriots out in front. The second inning was the big inning for the Patriots, as Hayden Clearman led off with a homer to right center. Three batters later, it was Jordan Gochenour who connected on a two run blast to right field and gave the Patriots a 4-0 lead.
 
In the bottom half of the second, the Hilltoppers would finally scratch across their first run of the game on an RBI single. Blomquist would get the huge double play to end the inning on a lineout to himself before doubling off the runner at second.
 
The Hilltoppers would get another run in the third after another RBI single. Blomquist would again work out of the jam by getting a big fielder's choice to end the inning.
 
With the score at 4-2, the two teams would settle into a pitcher's duel as neither side scored a run in the fourth, fifth, or sixth innings. Blomquist in that stretch would allow three hits but struck out a pair while allowing no runners to reach third base as he effectively shut down the Hilltoppers offense.
 
Julio Garcia would take over for Blomquist to begin the seventh inning, and after allowing a leadoff double got a big fielder's choice to cut down the runner at third. However, the Hilltoppers responded with a single and a walk to load the bases, and that meant Garrett Arredondo would get the call to end the inning.
 
Arredondo got a fielder's choice that allowed one run to score to begin his outing, but the big play in the inning was a double to left field that plated a pair of Hilltoppers runs to make it a 5-4 ballgame and give them their first lead of the day.
 
Austin Ochoa would begin the eighth inning with a big leadoff double, but was unable to come around to score after advancing to third. A scoreless bottom half of the eighth was thrown by Arredondo, meaning that it would all come down to the top of the ninth if the Patriots wanted to stay alive.
 
Adrian Minjares would lead off the inning with a single, but a groundout double play and a strikeout would end any threat for the Patriots and give the Hilltoppers a 5-4 win.
 
Starter Dylan Blomquist got the no decision after going six full innings allowing just two runs while striking out four and walking three. Julio Garcia fell to 2-2 on the year after taking the loss.
 
Adrian Minjares led all Patriots hitters with three hits as he also scored a run. Both Jordan Gochenour and Austin Ochoa each had a pair of hits as Gochenour led the team with two RBI.
 
The Patriots will look to battle back tomorrow morning as they will see the loser of tonight's contest between Angelo State and Lubbock Christian. Tomorrow's contest will begin at 10 a.m. as the game has been moved up an hour in an attempt to beat severe weather later tomorrow.