ABILENE, Texas – Splitting their double header with #23 Hardin-Simmons University, #12 East Texas Baptist University fell in game one, 9-7, but bounced back for the game two victory, 13-3. ETBU is now 25-5 and 12-5 in the American Southwest Conference.
Ashley Croft had a career day for ETBU going 7-of-9 recording 10 RBI, two home runs, one double, and three runs scored. She also earned her 12
th win of the year in game two.
Mary Frances Ellis and
Tristen Maddox both provided five hits on the day as Maddox had four RBI.
Game 1
HSU 9, ETBU 7
A five-run fourth inning became the difference in the game as HSU came back from a three-run deficit to take the game, 9-7. ETBU scored four runs in the top of the fourth inning for a 7-4 lead but then gave up five runs in the bottom of the inning to fall behind by two. They couldn't find any more runs in the final two innings as they fell in game one.
Hannah Kelley earned a no-decision going three innings giving up four earned runs with two strikeouts.
Marin Musicant received the loss with four earned runs on three hits in just 0.1 innings pitched.
Toni Tamborello finished the final 2.2 innings earning two strikeouts and giving up one earned run on one hit.
Croft went 3-of-4 with two RBI as Maddox,
Courtney White,
Tauryn Cummings, and Ellis all had two hits. Maddox and Cummings added two RBI while White had one.
HSU started with a 1-0 lead after the second inning but ETBU scored three in the third. Croft drove in one run and then Cummings tripled in two runs for the two-run lead. HSU took the lead, 4-3, in the bottom of the third only to see ETBU score four runs in the fourth. Maddox had a two RBI double and then both White and Croft had RBI singles for the 7-4 lead. ETBU then gave up five runs in the bottom of the inning to fall behind, 9-7. ETBU couldn't get a runner past second base in the final three innings as they fell by two runs.
Game 2
ETBU 13, HSU 3
Scoring nine runs in the final three innings of the game, ETBU dominated game two, 13-3, posting 17 hits. Croft pitched the entire game recording four strikeouts and three earned runs. At the plate, she went 4-of-5 with eight RBI.
Maddox and Ellis had three hits while White and
Delanie Loya added two hits. Maddox and Loya each added two RBI as White had one RBI.
ETBU scored one in the first inning but HSU countered with two in the bottom of the inning. ETBU then had three runs in the second with two RBI from Croft. In the fifth inning, Croft added two more RBI with a two-run home run in a three-urn inning for a 6-2 lead. Loya followed with a solo home run to make it 7-2. In the sixth inning, Croft had her second home run of the game with a three-run shot to make it 10-2. Her eighth RBI came in the seventh inning on a single to left center field for a 13-3 lead.
ETBU will face HSU at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday for the final game of the series.
