SHREVEPORT, La. – Opening up the 2018 season against one of the toughest teams from the Northwest Conference, the East Texas Baptist University baseball team came up short against Whitworth University, 6-1. ETBU is playing in the Centenary College Classic and will see Whitworth again on Saturday along with Pacific.

ETBU posted four hits on the day from KJ Miller, Zach Gartner, Casey Combs, and Seth MIkeska. Blake Corbin received the start and went five innings with three strikeouts receiving the loss. Corbin Patterson pitched two innings and also had three strikeouts. Erik Gipson and Chandler Muckleroy also saw time on the mound.

The lone run of day for ETBU came in the seventh inning on a Zach Gartner home run to left field to bring ETBU within five, 5-1. It was in this inning that ETBU threatened but couldn't get the hit to come closer to Whitworth. With only one out, Gartner swatted a home run to make it 5-1. Combs followed with a single to keep the momentum going. After a fly out for two outs in the inning, Mikeska and Johathon Sylvester were hit by the pitch to load the bases. With a 3-2 count, Zach McAdams hit a blooper to left field as a great catch was made to stop the Tiger's threat.

Whitworth scored three in the top of first inning to take the quick lead. They then added another run in the third for a 4-0 lead. In the top the seventh they pushed their lead to 5-0. After ETBU cut the lead to four runs, Whitworth added one more run in the eighth inning for a 6-1 lead.

ETBU will play Pacific University at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday followed by another game vs. Whitworth at 4:30 p.m.