MARSHALL, Texas – Using stellar defense to close out the final home series of the regular season, the East Texas Baptist University baseball team claimed the series sweep over the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Crusaders, 5-4, on Saturday afternoon. With the American Southwest Conference win, ETBU improves to 27-10 overall and 16-5 in ASC play.
Seth Mikeska led an all-around effort for ETBU, tallying two hits, one run, two RBI and a homerun in four appearances at the plate.
Landen Barns turned in a solid day's work as well recording a RBI, two hits and a homer in three at-bats.
Chad Boudreaux claimed his 100
th career strikeout in one inning of relief pitching for the Tigers earning his fourth save. As a team, ETBU picked up nine hits, four strikeouts and five stolen bases.
The game's first run belonged to Mikeska, who connected on a pitch that was sent over the left centerfield fence giving him his 13
th homerun of the season and the 1-0 lead at the bottom of the second inning. The bases were loaded when
Dylan Sumpter was sent to first on a walk, scoring
Brady Faulkner for a 2-0 lead.
Barns would pick up his sixth homerun of the season, sending a pitch by the Cru's Bailey Whatley over the wall and above the trees to give the Tigers the 3-0 lead in the bottom of the third. ETBU tacked on two more runs by
Casey Combs (bot. 5
th) and
Ford Spigener (bot. 6
th), putting the Tigers up 5-1 in the ballgame.
The Cru responded with a three run homer by Landen Dietrich, cutting the deficit to just one run (5-4) at the top of the seventh inning. The Tigers continued their strong defense not giving up a run the rest of the way to UMHB thanks to solid work on the mound by
Alek Arellano and
Chad Boudreaux in the final two innings of play. ETBU would hang on to win the series 3-0 following the 5-4 game three victory over UMHB.
The Tigers will close out the regular season with a three-game series against ASC rival Louisiana College in Pineville, La. Game one is set for Friday, April 26
th, with first pitch set to take place at 7:00 p.m.
