GEORGETOWN, Texas – Playing a total of nineteen combined innings in their doubleheader against Southwestern University, the East Texas Baptist University baseball team came away with two big wins over the Pirates to complete the three-game sweep. The sweep of SU puts ETBU at 5-2 overall.

In game one's seven-inning doubleheader, ETBU was able to pull out a 5-3 victory with clutch hits late in the game. Kentavious Miller, Landen Barns, Dylan Sumpter, and Zach Gartner would get a hit in the game with the latter two picking up an RBI along with Zachary McAdams while Miller scored two runs and stole two bases. Seth Sparks for SU was the only player for either team to get two hits while Austin Smith drove in an RBI. Pitching-wise for ETBU, Blaine Parker got the win going 5 IP allowing three runs on four hits while striking out four. Garrett Penny would get the save going 1.2 IP striking out one batter. While Will Preston (1.0 IP, one hit, two runs, and two strikeouts) started the game for SU, it was R.J Senining who picked up a loss by going 2.0 IP allowing one run on one hit.

Game two saw ETBU win a grueling twelve-inning contest by the score of 8-5. Gartner (two runs), Seth Mikeska (two RBI), McAdams (two runs), and Jeremy Bateman would each get two hits for ETBU. Sparks was once again the sparkplug for the Pirates as he would have a game-high three hits while driving in a run along with Ethan Hallmark and Cole Kelly. Zackery Pierce started the game for ETBU, but Chandler Muckleroy, who pitched three scoreless innings allowing one hit and striking out two, got the win in relief. Sparks also took the loss for SU as his 8.2 IP was not enough by giving up five runs on eight hits and three strikeouts.  

Game 1: ETBU 5, SU 3
ETBU struck first when both Kentavious Miller (single) and Dylan Singletary (hit by pitch) reached base. After a double steal, Miller would score the first run courtesy of a balk. ETBU would then load the bases before McAdams was hit by a pitch allowing the second run to score.  But a strikeout ended ETBU's threat. SU would threaten with runners in the corners and one out in the bottom of the second, but Casey Combs would catch Sparks stealing while Parker retired Kevin Stein on a grounder to first. The same scenario came up in the bottom of the third for the Pirates. This time, ETBU would get a much needed double play to end the frame.

Bateman led off the fourth with a walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. He would then score on an error by SU off the bat of Miller and it was 3-0. The Pirates though would strike back with three runs in the fifth inning to tie the game at three. However, Zach Gartner would drive in Miller to recapture the lead in the top of the sixth inning 4-3. SU would threaten in the bottom of the sixth before Penny would get out of the jam. In the top of the seventh inning, Dylan Sumpter would tack on an insurance run on a single to make it 5-3. Penny would then finish the job retiring the side in the bottom of the seventh.

Game 2: ETBU 8, SU 5 (12 Innings)
Miller led off the game with a walk and would later score on a single by Combs for a 1-0 lead. SU would get the run back plus two more as singles by Colby Schmidt and Sparks plus a triple by Kelly made it 3-1 Pirates after one. After reaching base on a leadoff error in the top of the second, McAdams advanced to third two batters later before Miller drove him in on the sacrifice fly. McAdams then drove in Gartner in the third inning after Gartner singled and advanced to third on a double by Barns to tie the game 3-3.

The Pirates recaptured the lead in the bottom of fourth when they loaded the bases before Hayden Craig scored on a wild pitch. Hallmark than drove in Sparks to make it 5-3 after four innings. But Bateman and Mason Aldredge would drive in runs on back-to-back singles to tie up the game at 5-5. For the next eight seven innings, neither team would tally a run although ETBU loaded the bases in the sixth before Bateman flew out to right to end the inning.

Then with one out in the top of twelfth and Brady Faulkner on first, Gartner drilled a double down the left field line that made it two runners in scoring position. After Combs was intentionally walked, Barns would get an RBI groundout to put ETBU ahead 6-5. Mikeska would then single to right driving in two more runs. SU did make a rally to put two on and the tying run at the plate before Muckleroy secured the win by getting Craig to groundout to end the game.

ETBU will return home this Tuesday as they will host their home opener against Centenary at 7:00 PM.