MARSHALL, Texas – Scoring in six innings, no. 7/11 East Texas Baptist University shut down a powerful McMurry University offense, 10-2. ETBU is now 19-6 and 9-1 in the American Southwest Conference.
McMurry was averaging seven runs and 11 hits a game and ETBU's pitching staff didn't allow any earned runs and only two hits with 15 strikeouts.
Jagger Neely went six innings allowing no hits as two runs came in on a two-out throwing error to first base recording nine strikeouts. He retired the side in the first, second, and fifth innings.
Ben Burroughs followed with two innings of work giving up one hit with for strikeouts.
Brayden Hodges finished the ninth inning facing four batters recording two strikeouts and gave up one hit.
Connor Massimini had a massive night at the plate going 4-of-5 with two RBI, two runs scored, a double, and a home run.
Jacob Evangelista,
Brett Wagner, and Michael Gallegos both had two hits. Also adding two RBI was Evangelista and Gallegos with one RBI from
Dylan Burnaman,
Nicolas Chavez, Wagner, and
Nick Massarini.
ETBU scored first in the bottom of the first inning when Wagner had a sacrifice fly to right field bringing in Burnaman. That lead lasted until the top of the third when McMurry scored two runs on a throwing error to first base with two outs. In the bottom of the inning, Massimini tied the game with a double for his first RBI, 2-2.
Evangelista gave ETBU the 3-1 lead in the fourth inning with a single to right field as
Colby Harris came in. A four-run fifth inning sealed the game for ETBU as they went up 7-2. Massimini started the inning with a solo home run to make it 4-2. Six batters later, and with two outs, Gallegos doubled down the left field line for two RBI as Wagner and Chavez both came in for a four-run lead, 6-2. Massarini followed with a double to left centerfield scoring Gallegos for the seventh run and a five-run advantage, 7-2.
The eighth inning paralleled the fifth inning only this time Evangelista started with a leadoff home run to make it 9-2. Chavez finished off the scoring with a sacrifice fly in the eighth as Massimini came in for the 10-2 final.
ETBU will play a double-header on Saturday starting at 1:00 p.m.
