MARSHALL, Texas – Opening American Southwest Conference play with a doubleheader, no. 13/21 East Texas Baptist University split the games at Tiger Ballpark at Woods Field. In the seventh inning, HSU came from behind to win game one, 7-6 before ETBU run-ruled game two, 18-1. ETBU is now 13-8 and 1-1 in the ASC.
Luke Finn was 5-of-8 (.625) with four runs scored on two doubles, a triple, and a home run for four RBI.
Luke Bumpus added four hits with two doubles for three RBI, and
Ben Lea had two home runs for four RBI.
Carson Livesay added two RBI with a double on three hits.
Nolan Bushko took the loss in game one in relief, falling to 0-2.
Matthew Irwin went all seven innings in game two with five strikeouts for the win, with five strikeouts moving to 5-1.
Game 1
HSU 7, ETBU 6
ETBU fell to Hardin-Simmons, 7-6, in a closely contested matchup as the Cowboys rallied with four runs in the seventh inning to secure the win. Both teams recorded nine hits, while ETBU had three passed balls.
Finn made a significant impact for the Tigers, scoring two runs and hitting a home run with an OPS of 2.000.
Nicolas Chavez contributed with one run, a hit, and RBI while throwing out a base runner.
Joaquin Costa had two hits, one run, one RBI, and a stolen base as Lea added to the team's offense with a double and one run. On the mound,
Jagger Neely pitched four innings, allowing two earned runs and striking out four batters, but gave up five hits, including a home run.
Neely started for ETBU, pitching four innings and striking out four while allowing five hits, three runs, and two earned runs. He recorded a WHIP of 1.75 while throwing 74 pitches, 45 of which were strikes.
Carson Speegle followed with two innings of relief, giving up three hits but allowing no runs from 26 pitches. Bushko faced four batters without recording an out, surrendering four earned runs on one hit and walking two batters.
Braden Karnes closed the inning, allowing one hit and inducing two fly ball outs.
In the second inning, ETBU responded to Hardin-Simmons' two-run lead by posting three runs. Lea started with a double to center field, followed by Bumpus singling to left center, which allowed Lea to score. Chavez's single up the middle brought Bumpus home, and Costa's single through the left side scored Chavez, giving the Tigers a 3-2 lead.
ETBU extended its lead in the fifth inning with two additional runs. Costa reached base on a single, then advanced to second on a wild pitch, scoring on another wild pitch. Finn doubled, and Livesay's single brought Finn home, increasing the lead to 5-3.
Despite a strong start, ETBU faced a challenge in the seventh inning when Hardin-Simmons scored four runs. After a series of singles, a walk, and a hit-by-pitch, the bases became loaded, resulting in a run-scoring from a walk. Following a pair of sacrifice flies, Hardin-Simmons added another run with a single, overtaking ETBU with a 7-5 lead.
ETBU attempted a comeback in the bottom of the seventh inning. Finn homered to add one more run, but the team could not overcome Hardin-Simmons' lead, resulting in a final score of 7-6 in favor of Hardin-Simmons.
Top Performers
L. Finn
- 2 runs
- 1 home run
- 2 hits
J. Costa
- 1 run
- 2 hits
- 1 RBI
Game 2
ETBU 18, HSU 1
Powering past Hardin-Simmons with an 18-1 victory, ETBU broke the game open with a five-run second inning and an eight-run third, amassing 19 hits and 14 RBIs. ETBU recorded five doubles and two home runs in the game.
Finn registered three hits, including a double and a triple, and drove in three runs while scoring twice. Lea had two home runs, driving in four runs and scoring twice. Irwin delivered a strong pitching performance, completing a full seven innings, allowing only one earned run, and striking out five batters to secure a win.
ETBU took control of the game early, starting in the second inning with a solo home run from Lea. Bumpus followed with a double to left-center, setting up a scoring opportunity capitalized on by a balk, bringing Bumpus home. The inning continued with Newland's RBI single and Finn's triple, which extended the lead to 5-0.
The momentum carried into the third inning, where ETBU added eight more runs. The inning was highlighted by Lea's three-run homer, his second of the day. Finn also contributed with a two-RBI double down the left-field line, making the score 13-0 by the end of the inning.
In the fifth inning, Bumpus reached on a fielder's choice, allowing a run to score and increasing the lead to 14-1. ETBU continued to dominate in the sixth inning by scoring four additional runs. Combining singles and steals, including a balk scoring
Justin Bried, the lead increased to an 18-1 final.
ETBU Top Performers
L. Finn
- 2 runs
- 3 hits
- 3 RBIs
Lea
- 2 runs
- 4 RBIs
- 2 home runs
Irwin
- Complete game
- 7 innings pitched
- 5 strikeouts
Bumpus
- 2 runs
- 3 hits
- 2 RBIs
Newland
- 2 runs
- 2 stolen bases
- 1 double
The two teams will play a nine-inning game on Friday at 6:00 p.m. for game three of the four-game series.
