MARSHALL, Texas—After shutting out Belhaven University in game one of the doubleheader, no. 9/10 East Texas Baptist University split the Saturday games but took the series. In the first game, ETBU won, 3-0, on a strong pitching performance from
Matthew Krall and
Jackson Jones, but the Tigers fell in game two, 5-3. ETBU is now 3-6 on the year and 2-1 at home.
Krall earned his first win of the year as Jones collected the save.
Joaquin Costa had the lone RBI as ETBU scored on an error and a passed ball. A late rally in game two fell short, giving up two runs in the top of the ninth inning. Noah Bushko took the loss, but
Tyler Bogusz had six strikeouts for the no-decision.
Nathan Harmon led the team with three hits.
G1 | ETBU 3, BU 0
In the opening game, ETBU secured a decisive 3-0 victory over Belhaven. The Tigers' pitching staff delivered a dominant performance, allowing just four hits while striking out five. They tallied seven hits and capitalized on Belhaven's three errors to score three runs.
Both teams remained scoreless through the first three innings, each managing only one hit in the opening inning. In the bottom of the fourth, the Tigers broke the deadlock when Harmon reached first on an error, allowing
Hunter Rumachik to score for a 1-0 lead. The sixth inning saw the Tigers extend their lead, with Rumachik scoring on a passed ball and Costa adding an RBI single, pushing the score to 3-0.
Belhaven struggled offensively, leaving five runners on base. The Tigers' pitching staff maintained control, notably striking out the side in the seventh inning to preserve the shutout victory.
Krall pitched 4.2 innings, allowing four hits and striking out one, while Jones came in for relief, pitching 2.1 innings without allowing a hit or walk and striking out four batters for the save. Rumachik and
Nicolas Chavez had two hits each to lead ETBU.
Top Performers
Hunter Rumachik
- 2 runs scored
- 2 hits
- 3 stolen bases
Nicolas Chavez
- 1 run scored
- 2 hits
- OPS of 1.333
Matthew Krall
- 4 2/3 innings pitched
- 1 earned run allowed
- WHIP of 1.19
Joaquin Costa
- 1 hit
- 1 RBI
- 1 walk
G2 | BU 5, ETBU 3
ETBU struggled to maintain momentum from the day's first game, despite both teams collecting eight hits and committing two errors. The game started slowly, with neither team scoring in the first inning. The Tigers'
Dylan Burnaman managed a walk but was left stranded after a double play ended the inning. Belhaven took an early lead in the second inning with two runs on two hits, including an RBI single by A. Canale. The Tigers went three up, three down in their half, unable to respond to the deficit.
In the fifth inning, ETBU scored their first run. Harmon singled to center field and advanced to third on a passed ball before Costa brought him home with a single, narrowing the score to 2-1. The seventh inning saw the Tigers tie the game at three after Harmon doubled down the left-field line, allowing
Jacob Newland's single to score him. In the eighth inning, ETBU tied the game when
Luke Bumpus's pinch-hit single set up a run, scoring on
Luke Finn's single to left center.
However, in the ninth inning, Belhaven scored two runs to reclaim the lead, and the Tigers were unable to rally, ending the game with a 5-3 loss.
Bogusz pitched six innings, allowing four hits, two earned runs, and striking out 6 batters with a WHIP of 0.83.
Trip Barron provided two innings of relief, giving up two hits and one earned run while striking out two. Bushko closed the game with one inning pitched, allowing two hits and one earned run. Harmon had three hits with a double as Finn, Newland, and Costa recorded an RBI each.
Top Performers
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Luke Bumpus
- 1 run scored
- 1 hit
- 1 stolen base
Nathan Harmon
- 2 runs scored
- 3 hits
- 1 double
Tyler Bogusz
- 6 innings pitched
- 4 hits allowed
- 6 strikeouts
Up next, ETBU will host Adrian College on Sunday, March 2.
