MARSHALL, Texas – It wasn't the beginning that no. 2 East Texas Baptist University wanted to the 2024 post season as they are now playing out of the American Southwest Conference loser's bracket. ETBU opened the tournament with an 11-6 lose to Concordia Texas (no. 4 seed) before bouncing back with a 12-2 elimination win over Hardin-Simmons University (no. 6 seed). ETBU is now 35-7 as their 18-game winning streak ended in the first game.
In the win over Hardin-Simmons,
Sayers Collins recorded his 400
th career strikeout at ETBU which is the third most in NCAA Division III.
Game 1
CTX 11, ETBU 6
Concordia Texas hit four home runs on the day recording 10 hits as they shocked no. 1 seed ETBU, 11-6. The Tornados scored two in the first and then five in the third inning for a 7-2 lead. They added three more runs in the sixth making it 10-3 with one more run in the ninth for an 11-3 lead.
Nick Massarini,
Nicolas Chavez, and
Jacob Evangelista all had two hits. Chavez, Massarini, and
Dylan Burnaman recorded home runs. Massarini led the way with three RBI while Burnaman had two and Chavez one.
Jagger Neely went two innings for the loss giving up seven earned runs with only one strikeout.
Peyton Miller came in and went seven innings recording three strikeouts giving up four earned runs on four hits.
ETBU scored all their runs on home runs from Burnaman, Chavez, and Massarini.
Game 2
ETBU 12, HSU 2
Scoring four runs in the eighth inning, ETBU run-ruled Hardin-Simmons, 12-2, in eight innings to stay alive in the ASC Tournament. ETBU had 11 hits in the game with three home runs and four doubles. Collins went seven innings for his 11
th win recording nine strikeouts with no earned runs on six hits. Miller finished the eighth inning with one strikeout and one hit.
With 11 hits, four players made up 10 of the hits as
Brett Wagner was 3-of-3 with a RBI recording a double and a home run. Evangelista,
Austin Barry, and
Carson Wilson all had two hits.
Cameron French, Wagner, and Wilson belted home runs. Barry recorded three RBI as French and Wilson added two RBI, and Evangelista, Burnaman, Chavez, and
Hunter Rumachik added one RBI.
Wagner homered in the second inning for the 1-0 lead and then ETBU erupted for five runs in the third for a 6-0 advantage. Chavez, Evangelista, and Rumachik each had a RBI as Barry added two RBI.
HSU cut the lead to four, 6-2, with two runs in the fifth inning. ETBU answered with an RBI double from Barry and a Wilson sac fly pushing the lead back to six, 8-2. In the eighth inning, Wilson had a solo home run followed by a Burnaman sac fly and a two-run homer from French to end the game.
ETBU will now play McMurry in an elimination game at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday.
