CLINTON, Miss. - Keeping their quest to defend the American Southwest Conference title alive, the #8 East Texas Baptist University softball swept through the double elimination bracket to advance to the championship game. ETBU is now 28-6 overall following the wins over the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, 2-0, and Hardin-Simmons University, 8-4.
 
The Tigers would need two runs and a strong pitching performance in game one as they defeated Mary Hardin-Baylor, 2-0. Hannah Garcia and Nikki Gil each recorded two hits while Jeanette Galvan drove in the lone RBI of the game. With seven shutout innings, Ashley Croft allowed just one hit and two walks while striking out seven batters.
 
ETBU would then put Hardin-Simmons University on the cusp of elimination with an 8-4 win in their second game of the day. Tauryn Cummings (three hits), Mariah Delgado (two hits), and Garcia (two hits) combined for seven hits while both of them along with Tristen Maddox and Sarah Cedillo each drove in a run. Murin Musicant earned the win with 4.2 innings allowing two runs on five hits. 
 

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Game 1: ETBU 2, UMHB 0
 ETBU would have an early chance to score in the first inning as they put two runners on. They could not convert as a flyout to center would end the threat. UMHB would get their only hit of the game in the bottom of the first leaving a runner on base. 
 
Over the next four innings, the Tigers would leave runners on base in three innings. They finally broke through in the sixth as Garcia scored on an error while Regina Garza stole second base. Galvan than made it 2-0 for the Tigers with a RBI single. That would be all ETBU needed as Croft held UMHB in check to record the win. 
 

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Game 2: ETBU 8, HSU 4
 The Tigers opened a 1-0 lead in the first with a single from Cummings to score Delgado. After HSU tied the score in the top of the second, ETBU placed three runs across in their bottom half of the inning with Gil, Cedillo, and Garcia each knocking RBI singles. HSU brought the score to within two, 4-2, in the top of the third and had the tying runs on base, which they would leave stranded. 
 
ETBU extended their lead in the third inning as Galvan reached on a fielder's choice that scored two while Delgado doubled in Gil. After being scoreless in the fourth and fifth innings, the Cowgirls brought home two runs to trail 7-4 in the sixth. Maddox had a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning to score Garza for the 8-4 final.
 
ETBU now waits for the winner of HSU/UMHB to play at 2:00 PM for championship. If ETBU loses that game, a second game will follow at 7:00 PM.