By Jim Dixon
D3baseball.com

Cedar Rapids, Iowa - East Texas Baptist rode the arm of Sayers Collins to give the Tigers a 7-3 win over No. 2 Salisbury in the third game of the 2023 DIII World Series being held at PG Cares Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

"What an experience to be playing here," said East Texas Baptist head coach Jared Hood. "We came out and played well. I thought we ambushed them a bit. Got ahead early and had our horse on the mound."

"Tip your hats to those guys," said Salisbury head coach Troy Brohawn. "They played phenomenal baseball. We talk about setting a tone from the first AB and they did that to us."

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Sayers Collins showed early why he was a D3baseball.com All-American. Even a nearly two hour rain delay could not knock him out. He pitched through seven innings and was assisted by a Tiger offense that had 14 hits and scored at least one run in four of the first five innings.

Sayers Collins struck out 13 Salisbury Sea Gulls in seven innings as No. 19 East Texas Baptist defeated No. 2 Salisbury in their first ever D-III World Series. Photo by Steve Frommell, d3photography.com  |  More photos from this game

"Coach Matthews had a good game plan," said Collins. "I caught them off guard a bit."

"Their pitcher was outstanding," said Brohawn. "He challenged you, He was aggressive, had some velo. We chased a few up in the zone but he was dominate the entire way. We struckout 16 times and you don't do that and win a game."

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East Texas opened the game with a run in the first and three in the third. Carson Wilson scored the opening run with a single on the rightfield line and moved to third on Jordan Hara's double. Ben Lea, the ASC Player of the Year, brought in Wilson with a groundout.

Jake Miller opened the third by being plunked by the the Salisbury pitcher. Singles by Jacob Evangelista and Wilson loaded the sacks. It looked like Salisbury might get out of the inning unscathed with a line out double play but Lea scored one with an infield single and Brent Wagner scored two with a double to centerfield.

"The guys did a fantastic job, not doing too much and staying within themselves," said Hood. "We not only play for the big innings. Getting one, two here and there. If we run the bases halfway better, we score more."

Meanwhile the Tiger's ace was cruising with seven strikeouts in the first three innings.

In the fourth, the Tigers extended their margin to five runs. Nicolas Chavez was hit by Jimmy Adkins and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Evangelista's single plated Chavez and ended the day for Adkins. In came Brock Hilligoss with a charge to keep Salisbury in the game.

Two singles that sandwiched an error gave the Tigers two more runs to give them a 7-0 lead. Jase Jones's single was followed by a throw by the third baseman that skipped past the first baseman. Chavez singled up the middle to score two and Hilligoss was suddenly in trouble. He faced one more batter, walking Jake Miller and his time on the mound ended in favor of  Brandon Epstein. Epstein picked off Miller to end the inning.

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In the bottom of the fifth the rains came and delayed the game for nearly two hours. When skies cleared, it was Collins back out there to continue on the mound for East Texas Baptist.

"It was his decision [to come back out]," said Hood. "When you get to this stage, you hope this is the answer. Give me the ball, give me the ball."

"There was not much of a conversation," said Collins. "When can I start stretching. I am not saving it for anything. Laying it out there for my teammates. They are doing it for me."

Salisbury ended the shutout in the sixth inning. Aided by an automatic ball, Kavi Caster walked. Jacob Ference provided the biggest hit of the game to this point with his 14th home run this season, extending the Salisbury season record, to give the Sea Gulls two runs.

Following the rain delay, Collins was not as sharp but was still effective. Collins pitched through seven complete with 13 strikeouts before being lifted in favor of Will Croft to start the eighth inning. Collins allowed three hits and walked two. He hit three batters. Croft added three strikeouts in two innings, giving the Tigers 16 strikeouts in the game.

East Texas Baptist advances to play the winner of the Lynchburg-UW-La Crosse game, the final game of the day. Salisbury will play the loser.