By Jim Dixon
D3baseball.com
Cedar Rapids, Iowa - ETBU's greatest season continues as the Tigers defeat Salisbury 21-7 in the final elimination game of Sunday at the 2023 D-III World Series being played on PG Cares Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
Salisbury went up 6-0 in the top of the first, and led 7-0 before ETBU came back and scored the next 21 unanswered runs.
"We got down big in the first inning," said East Texas Baptist head coach Jared Hood. "Our guys did not quit and we played to the end."
"We came out and put up a seven spot up early," said Salisbury head coach Troy Brohawn. "Give them credit for not giving up. They swung the bats real well and we could not stop the bleeding."
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| Ben Lea flashed the leather as well as wielding a hot bat as he ended the fifth inning, corralling the ball as he tangled with the tarp. Photo by Steve Frommell, d3photography.com | More photos from this game |
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Ben Lea's grand slam in the fourth erased a two run deficit and gave the Tigers a two run lead. Once the Tigers had the lead, they put up crooked numbers in the fifth and sixth innings put the game out of reach.
"Its happened more than once this year," said Hood. "We have the potential to make a comeback. Every one taps on each other and is not waiting for one guy to go."
A big part of the comeback was the pitching of Matthew Irwin. The righthander came in the second inning and pitched five shutdown innings. By the time he came out of the game, the offense changed a 7 run deficit into a 10 run advantage.
"[Irwin was] absolutely outstanding," said Hood. "We have had guys step up and give us big perormances on the mound. He is going to get out there and work hard. We knew he would give us a chance."
I was getting swings and misses," said Irwin. "I was just trying to get three outs at a time. I had the confidence that the hitters would pick up our pitchers. I knew the guys in the dugout would start hitting."
Hit they did. The Tigers put on a clinic with a Series high 21 runs, 21 hits and 18 RBIs.
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Salisbury opened the game with six runs. Danny Sheeler got things going with a drive over the right field fence. This started a stretch of seven batters reaching base via a hit or walk, ending with a Patrick Campbell single that drove in the final two runs of the inning.
The Sea Gulls added another run in the second to take a 7-0 lead. Sheeler opened the inning with a single to right. After a sacrifice bunt moved him into scoring position, Stephen Rice brought him home with his second hit of the game.
East Texas Baptist answered with three in the second. Brett Wagner open up the inning with a single, scoring on Nick Massarini's triple. Massarini scored one batter later when Nicolas Chaves singled to center. Chaves plated the final run of the inning when Jacob Evangelista doubled down the right field line.
The Tigers continue to add to their scoreboard totals with a run in the third. The Tigers took advantage of two Salisbury errors as Jordan Hara scored an unearned run.
East Texas Baptist exploded for five runs to take a 9-7 lead with four coming off Ben Lea's grand slam home run. Chavez opened the inning with a single to right. A Jake Miller hit and error loaded the sacks. Carson Wilson walked to force in a run and following a Hara strikeout, Lea changed the fortunes of the Tigers.
The Tiger increased their advantage with five more runs in the fifth, three in the sixth and a single run in the seventh. The final three runs of the game came off the bat of Chavez as he homered with two on in the bottom of the eighth.
East Texas Baptist will play on Monday against Lynchburg in the bracket two championship game game. If East Texas Baptist wins, a second championship game will be scheduled later on Monday, depending of the results earlier in the day.
"It is championship baseball," said Hood about needing to win twice on Monday. "If you need motivation to go out and play, I don't have the words for you. These guys will play their hearts out."
Salisbury ends its season 36-8. This is the first time in three years they will not play in the D-III Championship Series.