MARSHALL, Texas – Making the short drive down Highway 80 to open a three-game series, the LeTourneau University baseball team would see host East Texas Baptist University walk-off with a 6-5 win in game one to grab momentum and fall in the nightcap by a score of 12-2 to drop a Friday doubleheader at Woods Field in Marshall, Texas.
 
Following the defeats, LETU now sits at 16-13 overall and 6-5 in the American Southwest Conference while the Tigers won their fourth straight to improve to 21-9 overall and 10-4 in conference play.
 
Game One:
ETBU would strike first in the series opener with one run on an RBI double in the bottom of the first before the YellowJackets would find their way on the board with a two-out rally. Jacob Jones would collect a double to put the game-tying run aboard for Cody Lee who would hit a double down the left field line that would tie things at 1-1 which is where things stood going to the third inning.
 
Errors would prove to be to the benefit of LeTourneau in the top of the third inning as a fielding error would allow Jacob Faubion to get aboard and move to second base for Brandon Ramirez who would drive him home on an RBI single. A leadoff home run for East Texas Baptist in the bottom half of the inning tied things once again at 2-2, but it would be LETU who would appear to break the game open in the top of the fourth.
 
A three-run fourth would be started with a Noah Mahoney leadoff home run and be followed up by a Jones one-out home run of his one. Lee would then hit a double to knock the Tiger starting pitcher out of the game as Faubion would cap off the scoring with an RBI single to center field.
 
ETBU would cut the lead down to 5-3 with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the fifth and hold LeTourneau scoreless in the top of the sixth after seeing runners on the corners with just one out in the inning. The long ball would prove to once again be beneficial for East Texas Baptist as a two-run home run would tie things at 5-5 in the sixth inning to send things to the seventh and final inning of the game with things still up for grabs.
 
LETU would again threaten with runners on the corners with one out in the inning but see a delayed steal at second to try and get the go-ahead run home thwarted as East Texas Baptist would cut down Lee Hosie for the second out of the inning. A groundout would end the inning and allow ETBU to try and end things in the bottom of the inning. The Tigers would prove successful in getting a walk-off win as a leadoff bunt single and sacrifice bunt put the game-winning run at second and would be followed by an intentional walk to set up a double-play. Extra-innings would not be in store however as an RBI single to left field ended the game with ETBU earning the one-run victory.
 
Taking the loss in game one would be Ryder Lognion after throwing 1.1 innings in relief and allowing one run on two hits while striking out one. Leading the offensive charge for LeTourneau would be Jones with a three-for-three performance at the dish while scoring twice and collecting two of the five YellowJacket extra-base hits.
 
Game Two:
Momentum from the end of game one would be carried over by East Texas Baptist in game two as LeTourneau would trail 4-0 after one inning of action and go down 6-0 heading to the top of the third. Things would then settle down until the bottom of the fourth when ETBU would add two more runs on two hits to take a commanding 8-0 lead before adding two more on a two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth.
 
LETU would manage to break through for a run in the top of the sixth as Faubion would reach base on a leadoff single and score on a throwing error in what would amount to be the only run that LeTourneau could plate in the first eight innings of action. ETBU would get the run back in the bottom of the inning with an RBI single to go up 11-1 and eventually take a 12-1 lead in the bottom of the eighth on a two-out RBI single.
 
A leadoff single in the top of the ninth by Will Bradshaw would lead to a single run for LeTourneau in the top of the ninth as the early lead for the Tigers would ultimately prove too much to overcome with ETBU earning a series win with a twin bill sweep.
 
The YellowJackets would be outhit in the contest by a 13-6 tally and be limited to just two extra base hits (both by Bryce Brueggemeyer) as Lee would be the only LeTourneau player to drive in a run. After striking out just once in game one, LETU would be set down seven times in game two and draw just one walk while leaving seven runners on base.
 
What's Next?
Game three and the series finale is scheduled to take place on Saturday, April 6th at 1 p.m. in Marshall, Texas. Inclement weather is expected throughout the East Texas area tomorrow, which could force a change in the sechedule start time to the game. A final decision will be made tomorrow morning regarding a potential start time and will be adjusted accordingly. Any change will be announced on the LETU Athletics Twitter and Facebook pages which can be found here: LETU Athletics Facebook   |   LETU Athletics Twitter