BROWNWOOD, Texas – Setting a new record with their best start in program history, the #6 East Texas Baptist University softball team swept the Howard Payne University Yellow Jackets, 9-4, and 6-2. ETBU is now 19-0 and 12-0 in the American Southwest Conference.
 
ETBU overcame an early 2-0 deficit to win 9-4 in the first game as Kaitlin Hunter had two hits while Beatriz Lara (HR) and Emily Deramus had two RBI in the game. Kourtlin Hunter would also homer in the game for the Tigers. Picking up the win was Preslye Cox, who went six innings with five strikeouts on six hits. Haley Slater drove in two runs on two hits while Audrey Simpson (4.0 IP, three runs, five hits) was handled the loss for HPU.
 
ETBU would bring in a 6-2 win in the second game. Lara drove in three runs in the game on two hits while Nikki Gil led the offense with three hits. Lara's consecutive string of scoreless innings came to an end as she finished with another complete game victory by allowing two runs on six hits with five strikeouts. Slater had two hits while both Emily Martinez and Katy Hill drove in a run. Tia Campos wound up with the loss with 2.1 innings allowing two runs on three hits.
 
Gm 1 – ETBU 9, HPU 4
After one scoreless inning, the Yellow Jackets were able to grab their first lead of the series thanks to a two-run homer in the bottom of the second inning. But ETBU would answer with three runs in the next half inning with Deramus hitting a sacrifice fly and Lara going yard for a two-run bomb to lead 3-2. Knocking home a run in the bottom of the third inning, HPU knotted the game at three.
 
Once again, ETBU would answer with a pair of unearned runs in the top of the fourth. Morgan Arst would reach on an error to score Kaitlin Hunter before she came home on a fielder's choice from Gil to make it 5-3. Four more runs in the sixth inning pushed ETBU's margin to 9-3 as Kourtlin Hunter delivered her first homer while Deramus followed with an RBI single. Lara would bring home another run as she reached on an error while Solis would hit a sacrifice fly. The Yellow Jackets would manage one run in the bottom of the sixth inning before ETBU recorded the final outs for the win.  
 
 Gm 2 – ETB 6, HPU 2
It wasn't until the third inning before the Tigers put up two runs as Gil, who singled and advanced two bases, scored on a walk to Hannah Garcia. Lara would then follow up with a double to make it 2-0. In the next inning, the Tigers would extend their lead to 5-0 as Arst drove in a single to right while Lara tacked on two more runs with another single.
 
In the circle, Lara continued her shutout innings streak to 40. But with one out in the fourth, the Yellow Jackets broke through with a single to make it 5-1 ending the streak. They would add a run in the fifth to trail 5-2. ETBU, however, would create an insurance run with a two-out triple from Carley Carpenter bringing the score to 6-2.
 
ETBU will continue their road trip with a doubleheader against Texas Lutheran in Seguin, Texas, next Saturday at 12:00 p.m.