MARSHALL, Texas – In a tale of different ballgames, the East Texas Baptist University baseball team would sweep the doubleheader to take the series two-out-of-three from Howard Payne University. The wins mmove ETBU to a 13-11 record overall and 5-7 in American Southwest Conference play.

In game one, ETBU grinded out a tight 6-5 victory with a clutch late-inning single. Casey Combs and Zach Gartner would each have two hits while Landen Barns would pick up two runs batted in. Although Blaine Parker (4.2 innings pitched, three runs, four hits, three strikeouts) started, Jordan O'Bannon (three hits, two runs, two strikeouts) was given the win with 1.2 innings of relief while Chad Boudreaux picked up the save with two outs including a strikeout.

In game two, ETBU's offense came to life with a 10-2 victory. Seth Mikeska (five runs batted in), Dylan Singletary (two runs batted in), and Gartner each had two hits while Derrick Findley got the win on the mound with five innings allowing two runs on four hits and three strikeouts. Zackery Pierce would pitch a scoreless inning allowing two walks and two strikeouts while Call Florence picked up the three-inning save in which he only allowed two hits and struck out four.  

Game 1 - ETBU 6, HPU 5

HPU would load the bases on the first three batters before ETBU would retire the next three hitters at the expense of two HPU runs for a 2-0 lead. ETBU would answer with two runs courtesy of a couple of wild pitches to tie the game at 2-2. Two innings later, ETBU would take the lead with a sacrifice fly by Barns and a RBI groundout by Miller to lead 4-2.

The fifth inning saw each team score a run as an RBI single by HPU and a sacrifice fly by McAdams would make it 5-3. HPU would tie the game on a two-run double to make it 5-5 in the top of the sixth inning. But in the bottom of the sixth inning, ETBU would get a clutch single from Barns with the bases loaded to give ETBU a 6-5 lead. HPU brought the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh inning and had the tying run at third before ETBU hung on for the win.
 
Game 2 – ETBU 10, HPU 2

ETBU struck first in the bottom of the first inning when Mikeska drove in two on a double for a 2-0 lead in the first inning. One inning later, a double by Singletary and a bases-loaded walk to Mikeska scored to make it 4-0. After a scoreless third inning, ETBU would put up a four-spot in the top of the fourth inning to make it 8-0. This came on a sacrifice fly by Singletary, a wild pitch that allowed Bateman to score and a two-run homer by Mikeska.

HPU would get their only two runs on leadoff back-to-back homers in the top of the fifth inning to trail 8-2. They would then threaten in the top of the sixth inning with runners at the corners. Yet, the Tigers were able to hold the Yellow Jackets scoreless. ETBU would then score a run in the bottom of the sixth inning with a double by K.J Miller for a 9-2 lead. The tenth run came in the bottom of the eighth inning when Gartner scored on a wild pitch. In the end, Florence finished the job in the ninth inning to preserve the win.
 
ETBU will head to Jackson, Mississippi this Thursday for a three-game series with Belhaven. Thursday's doubleheader starts at 4:00 PM and 6:00 PM while Friday's game will take place at 1:00 PM.