BELTON, Texas – Splitting an American Southwest Conference series on the road, No. 1 East Texas Baptist University won game two, 9-6, over the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor but fell in game one, 5-4. ETBU is now 33-3 and 11-1 in the ASC as their 16-game win streak came to an end.
Madalyn Melton and
Izabella Morales each had five hits in eight at-bats.
Emma Bell and
Ava Rodriguez recorded three hits. Rodriguez recorded a grand slam home run in game two with four RBI. Melton finished with three RBIs and a home run, while
Tauryn Cummings and
Tristen Maddox had two RBIs, and Hayle Stum had one RBI.
Avery Holland lost game one with three strikeouts, but Melton won game two in relief, going six innings.
Game 1
UMHB 5, ETBU 4
UMHB held off ETBU, 5-4, with a decisive four-run fifth inning. Melton had two runs, three hits, and two RBIs. She also recorded a double and a home run, achieving a perfect 3-for-3 at-bat performance. Stum added a double and an RBI, and Morales managed two hits in four at-bats.
Holland pitched for five innings allowing five earned runs on eight hits. She struck out three batters and did not issue any walks.
McKenzie Jones went one inning of relief, facing four batters with no hits and one walk allowed.
The Tigers opened the game with a single in the first inning by Morales but did not score. Mary Hardin-Baylor also went scoreless in the first, leaving a runner on base. The second inning mirrored the first, with ETBU managing a single and a stolen base by Melton but failing to bring in a run. Mary Hardin-Baylor was held to no hits.
In the third inning, Mary Hardin-Baylor broke the deadlock with a single to bring in the first run and take a 1-0 lead. The Tigers were unable to score in the fourth inning, and Mary Hardin-Baylor was also held scoreless, maintaining the 1-0 lead.
ETBU tied the game in the fifth when Melton doubled and later scored on a fielding error. However, Mary Hardin-Baylor responded strongly in the bottom of the inning, scoring four runs on five hits, highlighted by a two-RBI double for a 5-1 lead after the fifth.
The Tigers narrowed the gap in the sixth inning, scoring three runs. Stum doubled to drive in a run, followed by a two-run homer by Melton, making it 5-4. In the bottom of the sixth, ETBU's defense held Mary Hardin-Baylor scoreless, keeping the game within reach.
ETBU managed a single in the seventh inning but could not bring the runner home, concluding the game with a 5-4 loss to Mary Hardin-Baylor.
Top Performers
Madalyn Melton
- 3 hits
- 2 runs
- 2 RBIs
- 1 home run
Haylie Stum
- 1 double
- 1 RBI
Izabella Morales
- 2 hits
Emma Bell
- 1 hit
- 1 run
Game 2
ETBU 9, UMHB 6
ETBU overcame an early deficit to defeat Mary Hardin-Baylor, 9-6, highlighted by a four-run sixth inning.
Maddox led ETBU with two runs scored and two RBIs, including a double. Morales also played a key role, recording three hits. Melton was pivotal both at the plate and on the mound. She delivered two hits and an RBI while also pitching six innings, allowing only two earned runs. Rodriguez had a grand slam and four RBIs.
Hannah Benavides pitched one inning, giving up four earned runs on three hits, including two home runs, while striking out a batter.
The Tigers began the game with Cummings driving in Maddox with a single to take an early lead. Mary Hardin-Baylor responded strongly in their half of the first inning with a three-run homer, followed by a solo homer, giving them a 4-1 advantage.
In the second inning, ETBU rallied as Maddox delivered a two-RBI double, closing the gap to 4-3. Mary Hardin-Baylor was held scoreless, maintaining a one-run lead.
In the third inning, Mary Hardin-Baylor extended its lead with a two-run homer, making it 6-3. ETBU was unable to score in its turn at bat.
ETBU pulled within one in the fourth inning with a hit-by-pitch RBI by Cummings and an additional run scored on an error as UMHB had a 6-5 lead. Mary Hardin-Baylor failed to score in their half, leaving the game tied.
In the sixth inning, ETBU surged ahead, with Rodriguez hitting a grand slam to go up by three, 9-6. Mary Hardin-Baylor was unable to respond in their half of the inning.
The seventh inning saw no scoring from either team, resulting in a 9-6 victory for ETBU.
Top Performers
Tristen Maddox
- 2 runs scored
- 2 RBIs
Izabella Morales
- 3 hits
Ava Rodriguez
- 4 RBIs
- 1 home run
ETBU will have a four-game ASC series next weekend in Abilene, Texas, against Hardin-Simmons University.
