MARSHALL, Texas – It took two games on Sunday and clutch hitting in the bottom of the eighth inning as #15/19 East Texas Baptist University won the NCAA Division III Marshall, Texas Regional Tournament over Trinity University. ETBU fell in the first game of the day, 8-6, but bounced back with a 2-1 victory in the final game of the tournament. ETBU is now 38-12 on the year.
It is the first time for ETBU to win a regional tournament in their first appearance in the NCAA Division III Tournament. The Tigers are now 8-2 in their last 10 post-season games at Woods Field this year.
"It was two well-played ball games and our guys found a way to win and it was awesome," said head coach
Jared Hood. "There was a lot of alumni here today that have experienced heart-break on this field and they came out to support us – this one was for those guys. This was for our fans, our family, and our community that showed up, all the parents that follow us around, but most of all for these guys here in pinstripes today – these guys earned it."
Brett Wagner led ETBU with four RBI on two hits and home run.
Carson Wilson followed with four hits and one RBI with a triple. Both
Jacob Evangelista and
Jordan Hara added three hits. Evangelista and
Jase Jones both recorded a RBI, too.
Jagger Neely started game two receiving the no decision in the final game but ad six strikeouts and one earned run on five hits.
Trent Clark received the win going the final two innings striking out the final batter of the game for the win with only one hit given up.
With the win, ETBU will now advance to the Super Regional Tournament next weekend in a best-of-three series. It is the first time an American Southwest Conference team has been to a Super Regional since 2019 when Concordia Texas lost to Chapman in two games. Prior to that, former ASC member Texas Tyler won the regional in 2018 and became the national champion eight days later over Texas Lutheran.
Game 1
Trinity 8, ETBU 6
ETBU's rally came up short in game one coming back from six runs to tie the game in the seventh inning. TU scored two in the eighth to take the two-run lead, 8-6, and then held off ETBU in the last two innings.
Hayden Robichaux received the loss in relief going 4.2 innings giving up four runs on four hits.
Peyton Miller started the game and went 2.1 innings with two strikeouts and four earned runs.
Cody Johnson worked the final two innings picking up two strikeouts and allowing just two hits.
Both Evangelista and Wilson were 2-of-4 with one RBI while Wagner had a three-run home run for three RBI.
ETBU was no-hit through five innings before scoring three in the sixth on Wagner's home run.
Nick Massarini then pulled ETBU within two, 6-4, coming in on a wild pitch in the seventh inning. Evangelista doubled in
Jake Miller to come within one, 7-6, and then Wilson tripled to right field as Evangelista tied the game at six.
In the top of eighth inning, TU hit a two-run home run to retake the lead, 8-6. TU then shut down ETBU's offense in the final two innings to force the final game of the tournament.
Game 2
ETBU 2, Trinity 1
Being shutout for seven straight innings, ETBU found a way to win grinding out two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning taking the tournament win, 2-1. ETBU had seven hits in the game as Wilson and Hara each had two. Wagner and Jones earned a RBI each.
Jagger Neely had another great post-season appearance going seven innings for the no decision with six strikeouts. He gave up one run on five hits.
Trent Clark finished the final two innings for the win to move to 3-0 on the year allowing just one hit with one strikeout.
Shutout for seven innings, TU pulled their pitcher that was shutting down ETBU in the eighth inning after one out. Starting the inning with a strikeout, he gave up a hit to Wilson and was pulled. The TU pitcher brought in lasted one batter as Hara singled through the left side advancing Wilson to second base. TU then pulled that pitcher and brought in their third pitcher of the inning. After a fly out for the second out of the inning, Wagner had a clutch single to right field as Wilson came in to tie the game. Jones followed with a fielder's choice to the short stop allowing Hara to be the go-ahead run, 2-1. The final out of the inning came on a fielder's choice but ETBU took the one-run lead.
Clark came back out for the top of the ninth walking the first batter. The next TU batter hit into a double play coming down to the final out of the game. Clark struck out the third batter of the inning handing ETBU the NCAA Division III Marshall, Texas, Regional Championship.
ETBU will now face either Birmingham Southern or La Verne (Calif.) next weekend in the Super Regional and will have a chance to host. That will be determined late Sunday night with a Monday release of the Super Regional hosts.
