TUCSON, Ariz. – In the first day of play in Arizona, the #13 East Texas Baptist University softball team swept their opponents to move to 6-0 on the year. ETBU defeated Birmingham Southern, 5-3, in the first game and then run-ruled Wittenberg University, 10-1, in game two.
Game 1 - ETBU 5, BSC 3
In game one, ETBU hung on to a 5-3 victory over BSC.
Linzie Lewis led ETBU with three hits, two runs scored, and an RBI while
Sabrina Salts drove in two RBI for the game.
Jordan Anderson went the distance allowing three runs (two earned) on seven hits while striking out eight. Jojo Johnston and Saydee Keith each had two hits while Kendall Hamm, Kolyn Kyser, and Abby Spencer each drove in a run.
The first two innings were scoreless as both pitchers would escape jams. In the top of second inning, BSC had two runners in scoring position and one out before Prince would convert the double play to end the threat. The difference in the game would be four Tigers runs scored in the bottom of the third inning as ETBU struck first on
Morgan Arst reaching on an error allowing
Heaven McDonald to score. Then, Lewis would drive in Arst to make it 2-0 before a triple by Salts and a sacrifice fly by
MacKenzie Anderson made it 4-0 after three innings.
BSC would get a run back in the top of the fourth inning on a two-out RBI single only for ETBU to answer in the bottom of the fifth inning when after Lewis tripled, Salts would drive her in to make it 5-1. The Panthers would get two runs on a leadoff home run and an RBI single, which brought the tying run to the plate. But each time, that tying run could not deliver as
Jordan Anderson finished the complete game with a strikeout and two groundouts.
Game 2 – ETBU 10, Wittenberg 1
ETBU run-ruled Wittenberg in five innings scoring 10 runs to finish the day at 2-0. Lewis and
Chelsea Ham each had three RBI while
MacKenzie Anderson posted two RBI Anderson also led the team with three hits while Lewis,
Sabrina Salts, and Ham all had two hits.
Lewis brought in the first run in the first inning doubling in
Morgan Arst. Anderson then singled scoring Lewis and then Ham made it 3-0 with a single to right field. Another three runs were scored in the third inning to make it 6-0. Ham doubled in Anderson and Salts for the 5-0 lead and then Ham scored on an error as it went to 6-0. WU did score their lone run in the third inning only to see ETBU add two more in the fourth. Anderson added another RBI with a triple and then she scored on an error in Ham's at bat for the 10-1 lead.
ETBU faces #1 Virginia Wesleyan on Saturday morning at 11:30 a.m.
