MARSHALL, Texas – Scoring four runs in the first four innings combined with strong pitching, #21/#24 East Texas Baptist University on their season opener, 4-2, over Millikin University. This is the first game of a three-game series vs. Millikin. Millikin is also receiving votes in the D3baseball.com National preseason poll.
 
"We haven't had much success in first games the past couple seasons but this one was awesome," said graduate student Jake Miller. "This was a good team win. We had some good at-bats and team play. Overall, it was just a good team win."
 
ETBU's pitching staff combined for 10 strikeouts as Sayers Collins recorded eight as Trent Clark had two. Collins went five innings for the win allowing just three hits and no runs. Clark pitched the final two innings for the save also not allowing any runs. Braden Karnes worked the sixth and seventh inning giving up two hits and two earned runs.
 
Five different players had one hit in the game as Miller led the team with two RBI. Christopher Robinson and Will Kelley each had a RBI, too. Jase Jones and Ben Lea recorded doubles as Brett Wagner had the other hit in the game.
 
Collins started off the game retiring the first six batters he faced. ETBU scored two runs in the bottom oft the first inning to jump out early. Jones doubled down the left field line as Wagner came in for the first run of the year. Kelley followed with a ground out as Robinson came in to make it 2-0. In the top of third inning, Collins pitched out of a two-out situation with runners on second and third. For the final out, Gibson flied out to Wagner in centerfield to end the threat. Millikin threatened to tie the game again in the fourth inning with runners on second and third and two outs. This time Collins got Ryan to strike out swinging to end the inning.
 
ETBU answered in the bottom of the fourth adding two more runs. With one out, Miller singled down the left field line as Lea and Kelley scored to make it 4-0. ETBU had the bases loaded and two outs, but Millikin put in a new pitcher that ended in a fielder's choice to stop the scoring.
 
It was the top of the seventh inning that Millikin scored both of their runs to cut the lead to two, 4-2. In back-to-back at-bats, they had a sacrifice fly and a single to center with two outs to come within two. Karnes got of the inning with a pop up to Jordan Hara ending the inning.
 
Clark came in top of the eighth inning and struck out the first two batters he faced. After hitting the next batter, the inning ended on a groundout. ETBU threatened in the bottom of the eighth but a strikeout and a lineout with runners in scoring position finished the threat.
 
In the top of the ninth, Clark had a ground out to start the inning. After a walk and stolen base, ETBU won the game with two straight ground outs for the two-run win, 4-2.
 
ETBU will face Millikin again on Saturday in a double header starting at 1:00 p.m.