CLEVELAND, Tenn. – It took nine innings to win the opener of the American Southwest Conference Championship Tournament as #8 East Texas Baptist University won the NFCA Top 10 game, 2-1, over #9 University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. ETBU is now 31-8 and will play again on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
 
Delanie Loya brought in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning as Courtney White beat the tag at the plate for the win. Loya and White led the team with two hits each. Loya finished with two RBI. Tristen Maddox and Ashley Croft both recorded a hit.
 
Hannah Kelley went the distance recording her 11^th win of the year with one strikeout giving up six hits.
 
ETBU took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Loya singled to centerfield as White scored. UMHB tied the game in the third inning at one as the next five innings were scoreless. UMHB had a chance to take the lead in top of the eighth inning with two runners on in scoring position and two outs. Kelley moved out of the jam as the final batter grounded out to Maddox at shortstop to end the threat.
 
UMHB went one-two-three in the top of the ninth before ETBU took the win in the bottom of the inning. White started the inning with a single and advanced to second on a Tauryn Cummings sacrifice bunt. Loya then followed with a 1-2 count singling up the middle to the winning run.
 
ETBU will play the winner of the Belhaven/Hardin-Simmons game on Saturday. The winner of that game will advance to the championship game on Sunday.