COLUMBUS, Ga. – Bouncing back on day two of the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Classic, #4 East Texas Baptist University earned wins over #16 Trine University and #2 Virginia Wesleyan University. ETBU defeated Trine, 3-2, in eight innings and then upset Virginia Wesleyan, 5-2, to move to 11-5 on the year.
ETBU 3, Trine 2
Scoring the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning on the International Rule (start the inning with a runner on second base), ETBU took full advantage of the rule for the one-run victory. With one out in the bottom of the ninth inning,
Tristen Maddox singled in
Denver Starkes for the winning run.
ETBU started the game with a run in the third inning on a
Corley Carpenter sacrifice fly as Amber Thibodeau scored. Thibodeau then made it 2-0 in the fourth inning with a RBI single. Trine tied the game in the seventh inning with two runs but ETBU then won it in the ninth inning.
Maddox and
Sarah Bledsoe led the team with two hits. Carpenter, Thibodeau, and Maddox all recorded a RBI.
Hannah Kelley went the entire time in the circle recording 11 strikeouts and giving up just four this and two earned runs.
ETBU 5, Virginia Wesleyan 2
After five scoreless innings, ETBU collected four runs in the sixth inning to take command of the game. ETBU then scored one in the seventh making it 5-0 before VWU added two in the bottom of the inning.
Ashley Croft received the win with two strikeouts allowing just four hits. Bledsoe and Allison Carrion both had two hits to lead the team. Maddox,
Courtney White, Tauyrn Cummings, and Bledsoe each had a RBI.
White brought in the first run with a single to make it 1-0 in the sixth inning. Cummings followed with a single that scored White and then Bledsoe singled as
Mary Frances Ellis came in and Cummings was the final score on an error. Maddox singled in a run in the seventh for the 5-0 lead until VWU scored two in the seventh.
ETBU will face Coe College and Alma College on Sunday at 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. in the final day of the Classic.
