MARSHALL, Texas – Timely hitting combined with strong pitching, the #21 East Texas Baptist University softball team came away with a sweep against previously unbeaten Pacific University (Ore.) at Taylor Field, 10-9, and 6-1. Completing a successful first week of the season, ETBU is 5-0 after picking up the two wins.

ETBU started the day with an intense 10-9 victory in game one. Daniella Solis and Mariah Delgado (two RBI) would lead ETBU with three hits apiece while Beatriz Lara picked up a two-run homer. Preslye Cox earned the win with 4.1 innings pitched allowing five runs (four earned) on five hits while striking out three batters while Lara earned a save with one inning of one-hit ball.

Game two provided a late rally for the Tigers as they scored five unanswered runs to finish the sweep winning 6-1. Emily Deramus picked up two hits to lead the way while Mackenzie Oltmann had two RBI on a home run. Lara started and would finish the entire game with seven innings allowing one run on three hits and striking out six batters.

Game 1 – ETBU 10, PU 9

ETBU struck first with a run in the bottom of the first after a leadoff walk to Arst, who then scored with a stolen base home. The Boxers would tie the score in the top of the second with a double steal at 1. ETBU threatened in the bottom of the second inning. But they left the bases loaded to end the inning. PU managed to get the first two runners in the top of the third inning only for Cox to retire the next three hitters.  ETBU grabbed the lead in the bottom of the inning on a two-run shot by Lara. They would extend the frame with four runs from a two-run double by Tellez and a two-run single by Arst to lead 7-1.

Cox would battle out of another bases loaded jam in the top of the fourth inning while the Tigers were thrown out trying to score in the bottom half of the inning to end the threat. PU managed to get three runs back in the top of the fifth inning cutting the margin to 7-4. Anderson would get a run back with an RBI double in the bottom of the fifth inning to make it 8-4. Three more PU runs and an RBI double by Delgado made the contest 10-7 heading into the seventh inning.

PU started by loading the bases on walks before a two-run single cut the deficit to 10-9. One out later, Jeanette Galvan recorded the second for ETBU by throwing out the tying run at third on a pickoff attempt. A flyout to left ended the contest.

Game 2 – ETBU 6, PU 1

Both teams would scratch across a run in the top of the first inning as PU grabbed the early lead scoring on a bases loaded walk while ETBU answered when Arst came in to score on a passed ball strikeout to Salts. PU went down in order in both the second through fifth innings to extend Lara's streak of fourteen consecutive retired batters. The Tigers would manage one hit between their second through fourth innings as the 1-1 tie stayed through four.

ETBU finally retook the lead in the bottom of the fifth as a two-out rally led to a Anderson inside-the-park homer to go up 4-1. PU ended Lara's streak of consecutive hitters retired at sixteen with a two-out single in the top of the sixth. The tying run did come up for PU in the inning before the last hitter struck out. Oltmann then came off the bench in the bottom half to hit a two-run homer to put the game out of reach at 6-1.  

ETBU will start their conference schedule next weekend as they will hit the road to Alpine next weekend. Friday's doubleheader will take place at 4:00 PM and 6:00 PM while finale begins at 12:00 PM.