MARSHALL, Texas – Setting the tone early in the game, #21 East Texas Baptist University dominated the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, 10-1, in the American Southwest Conference opener. ETBU is now 13-8 overall and 8-2 in the ASC.
 
ETBU's defense held UMHB scoreless for seven innings while scoring six runs in that time. ETBU had five extra base hits of the 12 hits they had with three home runs (one an inside the park), a double, and a triple. Jase Jones and Jordan Hara both led the team with three hits as Ben Lea added two hits. Lea led the team with two home runs for three RBI while Jones had one home run and two RBI. Nicolas Chavez added two RBI while both Jacob Evangelista and Hara recorded one RBI.
 
Peyton Miller started the first four innings but received a no decision as a starter needs to go five innings in a nine-inning game for the win. He allowed just one hit with five strikeouts and no earned runs in those four innings. Robert Croft followed going 2.2 innings to receive the win with one strikeout, one hit, and no earned runs. Trent Clark finished the final 2.1 innings with two strikeouts and one earned run on two hits.
 
ETBU went one-two-three in the bottom of the first but Jones put the first two runs up in the second inning. With one out and one runner on, Jones went yard to left center field to make it 2-0. In the fifth inning, Lea hit a long shot off the right center field wall and turned on the after burners to complete an inside-the-park home run for a 3-0 lead. Chavez recorded a double in the sixth inning as Hara and Carson Wilson came in for the 5-0 lead.
 
In the following inning, Hara singled to center field with two outs to bring in Jake Miller making it 6-0. UMHB earned one run in the eighth inning but ETBU answered with four more runs in the bottom of the inning. Wagner tripled and then scored on an errant throw to start the inning for a six-run lead, 7-1. Two batters later, Lea had his second home run of the game as this time the ball went over the right field wall making it, 9-1. Evangelista grounded out in the inning but Nick Massarini came in for the nine-run lead, 10-1.
 
Clark finished up what he started in the eighth recording a strikeout, a ground out, and fly out as one batter made it to base on an error. ETBU came away with their eighth ASC win of the year.
 
The two teams will play a double-header on Saturday starting at 1:00 p.m.