BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Making a major statement in NCAA Division III baseball, #5 East Texas Baptist University combined for a no-hitter upsetting reigning national champions #6 University of Lynchburg, 5-0. These two teams met last year in the NCAA National Championship Tournament where Lynchburg won both meetings. With the win, ETBU is now 2-2 on the year.
Sayers Collins and Robert Croft combined for the no-hitter with eight strikeouts. It is the first no-hitter known in over 20 years for ETBU baseball. Collins went seven innings with seven strikeouts facing 21 batters and walking two. He retired 16 straight batters going 1-2-3 in the second through sixth inning and the first batter in the seventh inning. Croft came in for the final two innings and retired the side with one strikeout.
ETBU had 10 hits in the game as Jacob Evangelista and Connor Massimini both had two hits. Massimini led the team with two RBI. Evangelista, Carson Wilson, Brett Wagner, Massimini, and Hunter Rumachik all had doubles. Evangelista and Wilson also recorded three stolen bases.
Looking to strike early, ETBU had a chance for a 1-0 lead in the top of the second but a great throw from center field ended the inning at home plate. Landin Durdin had the chance to score but a great play from centerfield kept the game scoreless. In the third inning, ETBU had runners on second and third but a strikeout ended the threat.
With two outs in the fifth inning, Evangelista doubled to left field and then stole third base. On the throw over to third, it was over thrown and he came home for a 1-0 lead. Lynchburg tried to match the run in bottom of the inning. After a strikeout, they received a walk and stolen base for a runner in scoring position with two outs. Collins ended the threat with his seventh strikeout.
It was not until the eighth inning that ETBU scored two more runs when Massimini doubled in Wagner and Wilson making it 3-0. Two more runs came in the ninth inning on a Wagner double as Wilson came in. Rumachik followed Wagner with a double to make it 5-0.
ETBU will see both Millikin University and #12 Birmingham Southern on Saturday in the BSC Spring Classic at 11:00 a.m. and 2:15 p.m.