MARSHALL, Texas – A nine-run sixth inning changed the momentum of the game as no. 2 East Texas Baptist University came from behind to claim the 2024 NCAA Division III Marshall, Texas Super Regional Championship over Williams College, 10-9. Down 4-0, ETBU scored eight of their nine runs in the inning with two outs recording two home runs. ETBU is now 43-2 on the year and 23-0 at Bell Park at Taylor Field this season heading into the National Championship Tournament on their home field.
"We knew going into today that it was going to be different than yesterday and something that this team has done great all year is never giving up even when teams score runs on us. They know we are never out of any game and they proved that today that they can continue to do that as they can score four, or five, or six and sometime nine runs in an inning to come back," said head coach
Janae Shirley. "It was an all-around great effort and I am super pleased with them."
Avery Holland was named the Most Outstanding Pitcher for her no-hitter and then she earned a save in game two.
Mary Frances Ellis earned the Most Outstanding Player as she was 3-of-4 with a RBI and two runs scored along with throwing a runner out at home. She also had the hit that put ETBU up, 5-4, in the sixth inning.
ETBU finished the game with 12 hits with two home runs and two doubles.
Tristen Maddox and
Tauryn Cummings had the home runs as
Courtney White and
Ava Rodriguez posted doubles.
Emma Bell,
Izabella Morales, and Ellis all had two hits. Cummings recorded three RBI as Maddox and Morales had two RBI and
Haylie Stum, Rodriguez, and Ellis finished with one RBI.
Hannah Benavides started the game going 2.1 innings giving up four earned runs on five hits.
Madalyn Melton came in for the win with 4.1 innings pitched with two strikeouts, no earned runs, and seven hits. Holland finished the final out on a line out for the save which is her first.
Williams took a 4-0 lead with four runs in the third inning. After a fly out, the fifth batter of the inning had a double that brought in two runs. With two on and one out, Melton came into pitch as the next batter singled in two runs making it 4-0. An ETBU error loaded the bases with one out but a double-play flyout that ended with Ellis throwing out the runner at home ended any threat.
ETBU went five scoreless innings before breaking through in the sixth inning. With one out, Stum singled in White for the first run of the game. After a walk to Bell,
Delanie Loya grounded out for the second out of the game as runners advanced to second and third base. Morales then followed with a single down the left field in scoring two to cut the lead to one, 4-3. Williams swapped pitchers as ETBU was starting top freshman pitcher. Rodriguez came right at the new pitcher with a double to right center field as Morales came in to tie the game at four.
Ellis came through with the clutch go-ahead hit on a long shot to right center field off the glove of the Williams outfielder as
Hannah Kelley was the run that made it 5-4. Maddox stepped up and went deep to left field for a 7-4 lead on a two-run homer. After White was walked, Cummings followed Maddox's lead with a deeper home run to left field putting the score at 9-4.
In the seventh inning, Cummings was walked with the bases loaded for a six-run lead, 10-4. Williams did not go away easily scoring five unearned runs including a grand slam to pull within one, 10-9. Holland then came in and two pitches later a Williams batter lined out to Cummings at third base as ETBU claimed the championship.
ETBU will now wait to see what they are seeded for the national championship tournament and who their opponent will be.
