MARSHALL, Texas – Behind a great team effort in the second half of the game, the East Texas Baptist University baseball team rallied from a 5-2 deficit after four innings to score seven unanswered runs in a come-from-behind 9-6 victory against the University of Ozarks. The win puts ETBU in a tie for sixth place in the American Southwest Conference with a 10-9 record while maintaining a 20-15 overall record.
 
Casey Combs led ETBU with three hits while driving in three and scoring two of his own. Zach Gartner (RBI) and Landen Barns would each have two hits while Seth Mikeska would also contribute an RBI. Blaine Parker started the game for ETBU only to last four innings allowing five runs on five hits while striking out seven. Boudreaux would get the win in relief with four innings allowing one run on three hits while striking out four. Call Florence picked up his sixth save allowing just one hit. Breyden Varner (two RBI), Josh Wooly, and Dakota Ebarb (RBI) would have two hits each while Fielder Dufrene and Sam Swartz would also have an RBI in the game. Starting pitcher Brady Taylor went five innings allowing three runs on six hits with three strikeouts. It was Corey Steward who took the loss as he was unable to record an out while allowing four runs on one hit.
 
After a scoreless first inning by both teams, the Eagles would put together a two-out rally, which led to the first run scored on a single for a 1-0 lead in the top of the second. ETBU loaded the bases in the bottom of the second. But they were unable to capitalize. This came back to haunt them as UO scored three runs to lead 4-0 in the top of the third inning. ETBU would respond with two run-scoring singles from Combs and Mikeska to cut the lead to 4-2 through three innings.
 
A bases loaded walk in the top of the fourth inning made it 5-2 for UO. But ETBU would score a run in the fifth and sixth inning as Gartner delivered a solo home run while Combs would pick up an RBI single to cut the lead 5-4 after six.
 
Then came the eighth inning, which would see ETBU score five runs for the lead. ETBU tied the game on a throwing error from the catcher on ball four. Combs would then give the Tigers a lead with a two-run double before scoring on a wild pitch for an 8-5 lead. After Gartner reached on a walk, he would come around to score on another wild pitch to make it 9-5. The Eagles would scratch a run across in the top of the ninth inning before a double play ended the game for ETBU.
 
ETBU's doubleheader against CTX starts tomorrow at 1:00 PM.