MARSHALL, Texas - Pounding out four home runs, the East Texas Baptist University baseball team exploded for 19 hits en route to a 13-5 win over the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Crusaders. With the win, ETBU takes the series and is now 7-4 and 4-2 in the American Southwest Conference.

ETBU's first five hitters in the lineup combined for nine RBI on 14 hits. Charles Gordon recorded a team-high four hits and four RBI with a double and home run. Colson Sledge (HR, RBI) and Carson Wilson (HR, RBI) would each have three hits while Jase Jones (HR, two RBI) and Zachary McAdams (RBI) knocked two hits each. Of the five pitchers used by the Tigers, Sayers Collins received the win with two scoreless innings allowing four hits and striking out three batters.

UMHB recorded their first run in the top of the first inning on a stolen base. Sledge answered for ETBU in the bottom of the first inning with a leadoff first pitch home run which was the first of his career. The Tigers then took the lead in the third inning with four runs. Jones would pick up a RBI double while Wilson scored on a wild pitch. Collins then picked up a RBI single while Barry grounded into a double play that scored the fourth run for ETBU and a 5-1 lead.

Adding a run in the fourth inning was a RBI single by McAdams to lead 6-1. However, the Crusaders would score the next four runs over the fifth and sixth inning to trim the lead to 6-5. In the bottom of the seventh, the Tigers would pull away with six runs. A RBI sacrifice fly by Fox Locke was followed by three straight homers from Gordon, Wilson, and Jones, which made it 12-5. Gordon would add an insurance run in the eighth with his fourth hit on the day. It is the second time this season that ETBU has hit back-to-back-to-back home runs in a game.

ETBU will return to Woods Field next week for their series with Texas Lutheran. Friday night's first game will start at 7:00 PM while Saturday will be at 1 and 4 p.m.