LONGVIEW, Texas -- A dramatic three-game series had its ultimate showdown on Saturday as the LeTourneau softball team rallied in the seventh inning to force extras, but No. 4 East Texas Baptist scored three runs in the ninth to pull away for a 6-3 victory on For The Heroes Day at the Joyce Family Athletic Village.

All three games of the ASC series were decided by one run or went into extra innings. ETBU took the series with Saturday's victory.

ETBU (24-2, 14-1 ASC) grabbed a 3-0 lead after two innings with two runs in the first on a Haylie Stum two-out, two-run single. A Tristen Maddon RBI single in the second extended the margin to 3-0.

LeTourneau (13-13, 6-6 ASC) would not go away. The YellowJackets got on the board with two runs in the third as Kylie Grisham drove in Jenna Carter with a sacrifice fly before Lexi Hutchins delivered a run-scoring single that made it 3-2.

That score remained until the bottom of the seventh. 

Carter led off with a single and moved to second on a Maddie Flanery ground out. Grisham then ripped a ball to second base and ETBU's Courtney White made a diving stop and threw out Grisham. However, Carter never stopped running from second and beat Delanie Loya's throw to the plate to score the tying run.

LeTourneau had a chance to win the game in the eighth. After Hailee Leger worked out of trouble to toss a scoreless inning in the top of the frame, Kenna Hendry and Maddi Smith had back-to-back singles to put runners at first and second with one out in the bottom of the inning. ETBU's Kassidy Cravey got the final two outs to hold the tie and send the game to the ninth.

ETBU scored three runs on three hits in the ninth to take a 6-3 lead. White's bunt single brought in the go-ahead run and the Tigers added two more later in the frame. 

Hendry went 2-for-3 and Carter was 2-for-4 to lead LeTourneau's eight-hit attack.

Hutchins made the start and went 3.1 innings allowing three earned runs. Leger (5-6) picked up the loss after tossing 4.2 innings out of the bullpen.

Cravey (2-0) went the final six innings for the Tigers and allowed one run on four hits in relief of starter Avery Holland. ETBU had 11 hits in the win.

UP NEXT

LeTourneau hosts Austin College for a doubleheader on Tuesday (4 p.m.).

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