Box Score MARSHALL, Texas – Down 7-3 in the bottom of the seventh inning, the East Texas Baptist University baseball team scored 15 runs in the next two innings to complete the comeback with an 18-8 victory over the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. This puts ETBU at 23-11 and 14-5 in the ASC. With one home run tonight, ETBU now has hit 50 homers for the season which leads the NCAA Division III.
Leading the way for ETBU was Dylan Sumpter who went three-of-five in his plate appearances while Conner Combs had five RBI including a grand slam. Tyler Bates, Dynas Doud, and Jaxon Rader would each have two RBI each while Zach Compton had three. Ernest Perez started the game, but went 5.1 innings pitched allowing six runs on 11 hits and struck out six. Chad Boudreaux added 2.1 innings pitched in the game striking out two while Jimmy Russo received the win with 1.1 innings of work allowing one run and striking out one batter.
After a scoreless first, UMHB struck first with two runs on back to back hits. ETBU answered in the bottom half with a double by Casey Combs and a single by Rader plus a wild pitch to take a 3-2 lead. It would only be temporary as UMHB scored on a some defensive miscues by ETBU allowing them two runs. They then had a RBI single in the third. The momentum would stay with UMHB for most of the game as they would peck on more runs with a two-run homer in the sixth and a sacrifice fly in the seventh. Meanwhile, ETBU's offense was held at bay by UMHB starting pitcher Casey Frazier who at one point retired 11 straight ETBU hitters.
Then came the seventh when the magic finally arrived. A single by Bates, triple by Doud, and and UMHB error allowed three runs to score by ETBU before Conner Combs tied the game on a single at seven. After holding UMHB scoreless in the top of the eighth, ETBU took the lead when Bates reached by an error. Following a single by Doud to make the score 9-7, the bases were loaded for Conner Combs to deliver his 12th homer of the season on a grand slam to make it 13-7. An RBI single by Rader and a triple by Compton concluded the eleven run outburst. UMHB would get one in the ninth before Russo shut the door for the win.
Tomorrow's double header starts at 1:00 pm and 3:30 p.m. as ETBU will honor their five seniors in between games and give out the James Morgan Memorial Award before the first game.
