AUSTIN, Texas – The McMurry baseball team will look to bounce back from a 2-1 series defeat at the hands of UTPB when it travels to St. Edward's University for a three-game set with the Hilltoppers.
 
McM is coming a off a home series loss to the Falcons of the University of Texas -  Permian Basin, dropping the first two games by scores of 8-1 and 4-3 before taking game three by a score of 6-0.
 
In the War Hawks victory, Aaron Burns and Charlie Hejny held the Falcons to just seven hits in the combined shutout. Burns pitched seven solid innings, with Hejny not allowing a base runner in the final two innings of work. Offensively, Adam Neubaur made the most of his first start of the season, going 3-for-4 with three RBI. Ricky Garcia and Dylan De Leon etched out two hits and a RBI each in the win.
 
The Hilltoppers climbed into the National Coaches and Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) top 25 poll, as they were voted the number 19 team in the country this week, after taking two of three from Newman University. The Hilltoppers won games one and three by scores of 5-4 and 20-8, losing game two, 6-5.
 
Offensively, the War Hawks are being led this season by Jon Mejia, who leads McM in most offensive categories. Mejia is first on the team in slugging percentage (.595), total bases (50) RBI (15), doubles (7) and home runs with three. He also ranks second on the team in hits with 30, and has a team-high batting average of .357.
 
Ruben Zendejas has been on a tare lately over the past ten games. The War Hawks outfielder has brought his average from .185 to .320, by hitting a blistering, .478 over his last ten games. During that span he has scored five runs, drove in a pair of RBI, stolen two bases, and has moved from the ninth batting spot, to lead off man.
 
For the Hilltoppers, Taylor Johnson and CJ Manning continue to be the driving for the St. Edward's offense. Johnson is hitting .397 through 30 appearances and leads the team in total hits (46), doubles (10) and runs scored with 31. Manning continues to be the leading RBI man on the team, driving in 29 runs so far this year while hitting .374.
 
The last time these two teams got together, the Hilltoppers edged out McMurry at Walt Driggers Field for a 2-1 series win. St. Ed's took the first two games by scores of 4-3 and 3-1, before the War Hawks took game three by an 8-6 score.
 
In the series, Eric Moritz gave the Hilltoppers' pitching staff fits as he went 6-for-8 in the set, with a triple and a RBI. Garcia led the way for McM, driving in three runs in the series.
 
The War Hawks and Hilloppers will play a double header on Friday, April 5 starting at 1:30 p.m. with a single, nine-inning contest coming on Saturday, April 6 at 1 p.m.