MARSHALL, Texas – Coming off their bye week to face #8 Hardin-Simmons University, the East Texas Baptist University football team fell in their American Southwest Conference contest, 34-0. ETBU is now 3-3 overall and 2-3 in the ASC.
ETBU posted 175 yards of total offense as
Cornelius Merchant rushed for 48 yards and
Josh Lister added 40 yards as the offense had 107 yards rushing total.
DeCarlos Frazier finished with five catches for 42 yards. HSU came away with 330 yards of total offense. Defensively, ETBU was led by
Kenneth Bradley and
Tucker Momon as each had eight tackles.
Sam Mercadel also had an interception for ETBU.
Taking the opening drive to midfield, ETBU's offense was moving the ball. At their own 46-yard line after starting out at the 32-yard line, ETBU looked to move into HSU territory only to turn over the ball on an interception. Over the next four minutes, HSU went 57-yards to score the first touchdown of the game for a 7-0 advantage. Both teams punted on their next possessions which gave ETBU the ball at the 6:26 mark on their own 49-yard line. They moved down to the HSU 35-yard line only to see another interception end the threat to tie the game. HSU took advantage of the situation and went 64-yards in just over two and half minutes to make it 14-0.
The second quarter came and ETBU stopped HSU from scoring at the 8:35 mark when they forced a fumble at ETBU 32-yard line recovered by
Tucker Momon. ETBU once again drove into HSU territory trailing, 14-0, but had to punt as the momentum stopped at the Cowboy 40-yard line. ETBU's defense forced a three-and-out and recived the ball back on the HSU 49-yard line. In Cowboy territory for the third time in the first half, ETBU drove to the 26-yard line where they tried a 43-yard field only to see it blocked. Two minutes later, HSU went 53-yards to take a 21-0 halftime lead.
It was a scoreless third quarter for both teams. ETBU's defense came up with another big stop on the goal line at the 10:52 mark as Mercadel intercepted the pass. He gave ETBU the ball back at their own seven-yard line. From that point on there were three punts as ETBU had two of them in the quarter as the Tigers still trailed, 21-0.
HSU scored twice in the fourth quarter at the 11:58 mark on a four-yard rusn and a six-yard rush with 5:45 left to play. ETBU did block the final extra point as HSU took the win, 34-0.
ETBU travels to Austin College next Saturday in Sherman, Texas, for another ASC game at 1:00 p.m.
