WICHITA FALLS, Texas -- Christine Billmeier was one of four seniors recognized before the final game of the season, and the right-hander kept St. Edward's off balance with her change of speeds, but the Hilltoppers managed to win the pitchers' duel at Mustangs Park on Saturday afternoon, 2-1.
Billmeier was efficient in the circle, throwing 57 of 79 pitches for strikes, inducing 12 groundball outs with two strikeouts and no walks en route to her third complete game of the season. Billmeier allowed just four hits in her sixth start of the season for the Mustangs.
The Hilltoppers scored a run in the first inning for the third-straight game as Katie Dillon doubled and scored when Alexis Massie doubled to centerfield. Massie was thrown out trying to stretch her double to a triple.
Billmeier retired the next 13 batters before Hailey Sonka singled in the sixth inning. Sonka scored on Dillon's base hit to provide the Hilltoppers a needed insurance run.
Kayla Bryant delivered a two-out single to center field in the sixth inning and scored on
Jessika Roberts' double to left field to put the Mustangs on the board. Roberts stole third base but was left stranded.
Renna Toomey worked 5 2/3 innings in the circle for St. Edward's, allowing one run on four hits with five strikeouts. It was the longest outing of the season for Toomey, who had not pitched beyond four innings prior to her third start of the season.
Cadie Belle Currie made her fourth relief appearance for St. Edward's and earned her second save of the season. Currie worked 1 1/3 innings and retired all four batters she faced to close out the game for the Hilltoppers, who salvaged a win in the series after being swept in the doubleheader on Friday.
Toomey improved to 3-1 for St. Edward's, while Billmeier fell to 1-3 for the Mustangs.
Sydney Shimkus extended her hitting streak to five games and finished the season as the leading hitter for Midwestern State with a .287 batting average.
Bailey Brenek closed her career at Midwestern State as a .288 hitter over four seasons with 12 home runs and 54 RBIs.
Paige Bryant and
Payton Griffin ended their careers at Midwestern State side-by-side in the outfield. Griffin started in left field, and Bryant patrolled center field.
Bryant hit .466 in her final seven games with the Mustangs. Griffin was a reliable defender at first base, third base and left field in her final season for the Maroon and Gold. The senior from Sherman, Texas, had a .994 fielding percentage and only made one error in 154 chances for Midwestern State.
Griffin had an RBI and scored a run in the season-ending series for Midwestern State, which won four of its final six games.
Midwestern State won three of its final four series at Mustangs Park and finished the campaign with a 9-15 record at home. MSU closed the season with a 12-39 record overall and was 11-31 in the Lone Star Conference.
St. Edward's entered the series ranked No. 7 in the South Central Region, and the Hilltoppers finished the regular season with a 26-25 record, including a 20-22 record in the LSC. The win on Saturday snapped a five-game losing streak for St. Edward's.
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-- MSUMustangs.com --
