MARSHALL, Texas – A great era of softball ended on Friday afternoon for East Texas Baptist University as seven players finished their careers at Bell Park at Taylor Field. No. 1 ETBU fell shy in the Super Regional Championship to no. 9 Texas Lutheran University, 2-0, as they finish 43-5. In the past five years, these seven players have guided the program to 196 wins, five NCAA Tournament appearances, four ASC Tournament Championships, and one Regional, Super Regional, and National Championship, along with going 105-12 at Bell Park at Taylor Field.  
 
Katelynn Jones led the ETBU with a 2-for-2 performance at the plate. Madalyn Melton contributed two hits, including a double. Then, Melton pitched a complete game, allowing two earned runs over six innings and striking out two. Ava Rodriguez and Haylie Stum each added one hit.
 
The game between the Tigers and Texas Lutheran commenced with a scoreless first inning, as both teams failed to generate any runs. In the second inning, ETBU recorded its first hit when Melton doubled to left center, but couldn't bring in the run. Texas Lutheran managed two hits in the bottom of the second but ended the inning without scoring.
 
During the third inning, the Tigers saw Mallory Pyle reach base on a walk, followed by a bunt single from Jones, though the inning concluded without any runs. Texas Lutheran broke the deadlock in the bottom of the third with a single that scored a run from third, 1-0.
 
ETBU collected two singles in the fourth inning, but could not score. Texas Lutheran was held scoreless as well, keeping the game tight. The fifth inning saw the Tigers achieve another hit, yet no change occurred in the run column for either side.
 
The sixth inning included a scoring opportunity for Texas Lutheran as another run came in with a single to the outfield, making it 2-0. ETBU had two runners on with two outs in the top of the seventh, but for the third time in the game, couldn't convert with runners in scoring position as TLU took the Super Regional, 2-0.
 
ETBU has reached 40+ wins for the second year in a row and the fifth time in program history.
 
Top Performers
Madalyn Melton
- 6 innings pitched
- 1 complete game
- 8 hits allowed
-recorded a double
 
Katelynn Jones
- 2 hits
- 1 walk
- On-base plus slugging (OPS) of 2.000
 
Haylie Stum
- 1 hit
- 1 ground out
- On-base plus slugging (OPS) of .667
 
Ava Rodriguez
- 1 hit