MARSHALL, Texas – Heading into the 2023 American Southwest Conference Championship Tournament as the no. 2 seed, #9 East Texas Baptist University is seeking their 11^th championship playing in their 23^rd tournament. ETBU has the best overall record in the tournament at 35-5 and finished with a 21-5 record in the ASC.
 
The tournament will take place in Belton, Texas, from May 11-14 at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor who won the ASC regular season by percentage points over ETBU. It is the first time that UMHB has hosted the ASC Tournament.
 
ETBU is 56-27 in the 22 ASC Tournament appearances last winning the tournament championship in 2021. Last year, they went 2-2 and were the runners-up to Belhaven University. In head coach Janae Shirley's tenure, she has won five ASC Championships and been the runner-up four times. She holds a 30-19 record in the ASC Tournament with four undefeated runs in the tournament.
 
Coming into the tournament, ETBU has won 11 straight games and 19 of their last 20 games. They finished the year at home 27-0 for their first-ever perfect regular season at Bell Park at Taylor Field. They had a 12-game winning streak from March 7-17 before being swept by UMHB.
 
ETBU's pitching staff leads the ASC with a 1.81 ERA and at one point in the season recorded 29 scoreless innings with five shutouts. From March 31 through April 11, ETBU recorded five straight shutouts sweeping McMurry, 3-0, 8-0, 9-0, and taking the first two games over LeTourneau, 8-0, and 2-0. LETU broke the scoreless streak in the seventh inning of game three scoring two runs.
 
The pitching staff is led by Ashley Croft and Hannah Kelley. Croft is 17-1 on the year with a 1.54 ERA and 54 strikeouts. Kelley follows at 14-2 with a 1.51 ERA and 64 strikeouts. Both pitchers have recorded four strikeouts. Toni Tamborello has pitched in 17 games and is 3-1 with two saves.
 
Tristen Maddox leads the ASC in batting average (.459), runs scored (49), hits (61), doubles (16), home runs (8), RBI (45), slugging percentage (.759), and total bases (101). Courtney White leads the ASC in stolen bases with 31 and is second in hits with 51. ETBU's offense leads the ASC in batting average (.356), runs scored (289), home runs (28), total bases (529), slugging percentage (.516), and stolen bases (136).
 
Either facing Texas Dallas or LeTourneau in their first game, ETBU received a first-round bye as the no. 2 seed. Overall, ETBU is 78-4 vs. LETU and has a 32-game win streak vs. the Yellowjackets. The closest margin of victory came this year, 3-2, in the final game of the series. At one point this season, LETU was nationally ranked and was regionally ranked. ETBU holds a 62-16 record over UTD taking all three games this season in Marshall. In their last 10 match ups, ETBU is 9-1 vs. the Comets.
 
ETBU has only played in Belton when facing UMHB and have a 14-6 record at Dee Dillon Field. They will be looking for their first win this year in Belton after dropping all three ASC games there earlier this season.
 
Pending weather in Belton, ETBU will play at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday.