GAMES: ETBU 5, UTD 3  l  WU 3, ETBU 1

Marshall, Texas Regional Website

MARSHALL, Texas – The East Texas Baptist University softball team split on day two of the NCAA Marshall, Texas Regional, defeating the University of Texas at Dallas 5-3, and falling to Whitworth University 3-1. Texas Dallas (36-10) was eliminated from the NCAA DIII Championships, while ETBU (37-9) and Whitworth will play at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday to determine the Regional Champion.

GAME ONE

ETBU was first to strike in game one on Saturday versus Texas Dallas in the top of the second inning. Shelby Irlbeck delivered an RBI single to left center to plate Kaitlyn Hollingshead. Jessica Vlasek hit a three-run homerun in the bottom of the third inning, which proved to be the only offense for the Comets. Lacey Lindsey led off the top of the fourth inning with a solo homerun, her third of the Regional to bring ETBU within one run 3-2.

Linzie Lewis singled home Emily Hitt in the top of the fifth inning to tie the game at 3-3. One batter later, Jayme Perez hit her second homerun of the Regional, a two-run shot to put ETBU in front for good. Rocki Tello was dominate over the final four innings, allowing only one hit to shut down the Comet offense to pick up the win for ETBU 5-3.

Lewis led the way offensively for ETBU, picking up three hits, knocking in one run, and scoring another. Perez, Lindsey, Katy Hill, Irlbeck, and Hitt each had one hit in the contest. Perez led the offense with two RBI. Tello picked the complete game victory to improve her record to 14-4 this season. Tello allowed three runs on eight hits in 7.0 innings, striking out three batters.

Melissa Livermore, Hope Griffith, and Stefanie Polderman each had two hits in the game for Texas Dallas. Allie Stephens picked up the loss, going 5.0 innings and allowing five runs on six hits.

This was Texas Dallas first appearance in the NCAA DIII Softball Championships.

GAME TWO

Whitworth struck first in the top of the second inning with a solo homerun from Rheanne Lewis. Whitworth would plate two more in the top of the second inning to extend the Pirate lead to 3-0. ETBU was able to get on the board in the bottom of the fifth inning when Lindsey Vasquez hit a double off the left field wall to plate Hill. ETBU would threaten in the bottom of the sixth and seventh innings, but were unable to compete the comeback, forcing a game five for the regional championship.

Eight Tigers tallied a hit in game two of the day. Vasquez would drive in the lone run for ETBU, and Hill scored the lone run. Tello started the second straight game, this time picking up the loss to move to 14-5 this season. Tello allowed three runs on 2.0 innings. McKayla Hendrix pitched 5.0 innings in relief, allowing only seven hits and no runs.

Madi Perez picked up her second win of the Regional, pitching a complete game. Perez allowed one run on eight hits, striking out three batters. Lewis led the way for Whitworth with three hits, followed by Michelle Silva with two hits.