March 8, 2015
NCAA DIII BASKETBALL:MARSHALL, Texas (3/7/15) - Pulling together their team concept in the second half and sticking together, the East Texas Baptist University men's basketball team (25-5) continued their magical season advancing to the Sweet 16 with an 80-75 win over Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (22-7). It was the 22nd straight win for ETBU in Ornelas Gym as they finish the year at home a perfect 18-0. ETBU moves on to their first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division III National Tournament Sweet 16.
"You have to talk about how good Claremont-MS is," says head coach Bert West. "They are a very impressive team and they were just what we thought they were in big, smart, and run a great offense. We did not make any adjustments at halftime our kids just went harder, and harder, and harder and they fought back to get control of the ball game."
Four players scored in double figures as Junior Mitchell had 16 points on 60 percent shooting from the floor (6-of-10). Justin Felicia and Bret Akins (4-of-5 from floor) added 12 points and Jamil Samuel gave 10 points (4-of-5 from the floor). Chad Herring led the team with nine rebounds and was 4-of-4 from the free throw line. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps had four players in double figures as Jason Harrington had 18 points.
After Claremont-Mudd-Scripps shot lights out in the first half, making 64 percent from the floor and 54 percent from the arc, ETBU was down eight, 45-37, entering the locker room. It was a gritty defensive performance in the second half propelling ETBU to the win. ETBU only allowed 30 points and 31 percent shooting from the floor to Claremont-Mudd-Scripps while holding them to 23 percent from the three-point line.
ETBU slowly took away Claremont-Mudd-Scripps lead bringing it down to two, 46-44, on a 7-1 run to start the first four minutes of the second half. Mitchell converted a three-point play at the 16:03 mark to put ETBU back within reach of the lead. Within a minute the game was tied at 49 on two Herring free throws and two minutes later at the 13:06 mark Claremont-Mudd-Scripps put the lead at four, 53-49. A Tyler Day three-pointer cut the lead to one but Claremont-Mudd-Scripps answered right back with a fast break lay up at the 12:17 mark for a three-point lead, 55-52.
Felicia made the crowd roar hitting a three-pointer to tie the game at 55 with 9:52 remaining with another tie at 57 at the 8:29 mark on an Ahnre Gray lay up. In a minute and half, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps recaptured the lead to five, 62-57, as they thought momentum was shifting their way. It actually went the opposite for Claremont-Mudd-Scripps as ETBU went on a 17-3 run over the next six minutes taking command of the game, 74-65.
Mitchell started the run with five straight points in less than a minute to tie the game at 62 at the 6:14 mark. Atkins canned banked in a key lay up after a strong offensive rebound for a two-point lead, 64-62, with 5:12 remaining. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps then hit their last bucket for the next four minutes for the one-point lead, 65-64. At the 4:06 mark, Samuel put ETBU ahead for good, 66-65, on a jump shot as ETBU's defense held Claremont-Mudd-Scripps to no baskets until there was 46 seconds left in the game. Herring, Atkins, and Dylan Augustine all scored in the run for ETBU. Augustine made one-of-two free throws with 1:14 left for a nine-point lead, 74-65.
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps didn't put down their fighting gloves as they continued to chip away at ETBU's lead in the final 46 seconds. With 16 seconds left, the Staggs were within three, 78-75, and missed a three-pointer with 10 seconds left that would have tied the game. Augustine was fouled with five seconds left as he canned both shots for the five-point win.
In the first half, ETBU took a quick 4-0 lead but Claremont-Mudd-Scripps answered with a 12-2 run and a six-point lead, 12-6. They would keep the lead the entire first half after that run taking a nine-point lead, 43-34, with 1:31 left in the half. Felicia swooshed in a three-pointer at the 1:02 mark bringing it back down to six, 43-37, before being down 45-37 at the half.
Overall Claremont-Mudd-Scripps finished shooting 46 percent from the floor, 34 percent from the arc, and 85 percent from the line. ETBU shot 46 percent from the floor, 47 percent from the three-point line, and 59 percent from the foul line. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps won the rebounding battle, 34-32, and the turnover marging, 15-14.
ETBU (25-5) will face Northwestern University-St. Paul (26-3) in the Sweet 16 on Friday, March 13, in Stevens Point, Wisconsin at 5:00 p.m. The other game at the same site will be Wis.-Stevens Point (23-5) vs. Emory (22-5) at 8:00 p.m. The winners play each other on Saturday, March 14, at 7:00 p.m.
ETBU will be broadcasting the game on the ETBUSportsNet as an internet audio only broadcast. You can follow live video and live stats at Wisconsin-Stevens Point website.
Parker Becomes ETBU's All-Time Wins Leader
SOFTBALL: BELTON, Texas (3/7/15) - After sweeping a doubleheader the day before, the #3 East Texas Baptist University softball team (6-0, 6-0) took the final game of the series against the University Mary Hardin-Baylor, 7-5, withstanding a late rally from the Crusaders. ETBU now has a 24-game regular season winning streak dating back to March 22nd. They won 18-straight before their post-season run last season.
Shelby Parker picked up her 57th career win, now the program leader in wins, to improve to 3-0 this season while Kelly Jo McClendon picked up the save. Tiffany Birdwell took the loss for UMHB to drop to 1-4 on the year. Lacy Lindsey got three hits to lead the team and had two RBIS and scored a run. Kaitlyn Hollingshead had three RBIs on two hits and scored two runs.
In the third inning Hollingshead hit a homerun with Kayla Garcia on base to put ETBU up 2-0. Lindsey singled in the fourth to score Maranda Westbrook to make it 3-0. In the fifth Hollingshead doubled which scored Garcia again, which was followed by a homer from Lindsey which scored Hollingshead. After 4 - ETBU led 6-0, but UMHB would not go quietly.
In the bottom of the fifth Leah Brown hit a two run homerun to get the Cru on the board. In the bottom of the sixth a bases loaded walk scored Kourtney Bevers. UMHB got on the board again on an error which brought in another run. Finally, another walk gave UMHB another free run, pulling the Cru within one at 6-5. From there ETBU locked down and closed out the inning without relinquishing the lead.
In the top of the seventh, Alexis Padilla singled to score Mallory Westbrook to provide ETBU a little breathing room with a two run lead. But it was more than Kelly Jo McClendon would need as she blanked the Cru in the final frame to close out the win.
ETBU returns home this Tuesday for a doubleheader against Trinity University with the first pitch at noon.
ETBU Finishes Series Sweep of UDallas
BASEBALL: MARSHALL, Texas (3/7/15) - With two more wins today over the University of Dallas, 2-1, and 15-5, the East Texas Baptist University baseball has now won seven straight at home and is 9-3 overall. ETBU came from behind in game one for the 2-1 win and then exploded for 15 runs in game two.
Zach Tampke pitched a gem as he allowed just one run on three hits as he picked up the win in a pitchers duel in the first game. He pitched six innings before Kirby Moore finished it off with the save. Jordan Wilkerson pitched all seven innings in the second game and picked up the win.
Dynas Doud picked up another three hits, tied for the team lead with Brice Winter, who hit his first career homerun and had four RBIs in the second game.
ETBU 2, Dallas 1
Matt Sullivan came through with a two RBI single off Ryan Hammonds in the fifth inning that broke up Hammonds' shutout bid. Dallas grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth following back to back doubles that brought in a run. But ETBU started the rally as Brice Winter singled up the middle. They brought in Brooks Lloyd to pinch run and provide more speed on the base paths. Chris Hawkins got on after being hit by a pitch then both advanced on a double steal. After a strikeout gave ETBU two outs, Sullivan stepped up with a single that got past the second baseman and brought in two runs.
After pitching the top of the sixth, Tampke was replaced by Kirby Moore. Moore pitched a perfect seventh to seal the win.
ETBU 15, Dallas 5
After the bats were quiet in the first game, ETBU's offense got it going in the second game. ETBU started early with Sullivan scoring on a pass ball. In the second ETBU expanded their lead to 3-0 as Matt Sullivan picked up his third RBI of the day on a single which scored Garrett Lakey. Dynas Doud hit in a run on a ball that was hit straight into the ground in front of the plate and appeared to be foul but was not. Doud ran to first and was called safe and Jaxon Rader scored.
Dallas got one run back in the top of the third, but ETBU answered with a five run bottom of the third. Zach Compton scored on an RBI groundout by Lakey. Bates scored as Rader reached on an error. Rader scored later on a sac fly by Brice Winter, who pinch hit for Dukes. Doud got a two RBI single to center field to put ETBU up 8-1.
Dallas got one run back in the top of the fourth to make it 8-2, but ETBU scored three more in the bottom of the fifth to go up 11-2. After a leadoff walk by Rader, Brooks Lloyd hit a ball into center field that went over the center fielder's head and rolled to the fence. He had a standup triple but was waived home and thrown out at the plate, preventing an inside the park homerun. Winter doubled to left field then went to third on a balk. Connor Combs hit a single to right that scored Winter and moved Doud to third. Compton was hit by a pitch to load the bases, then Tyler Bates also was plunked to bring in a run.
Luciano Villanueva hit a three run blast in the top if the sixth to pull within 11-5, but ETBU brought out the lumber in the bottom of the sixth as Winter hit a three run blast for the first dinger of his career and Combs hit a solo shot later in the inning for his third of the year.
Wilkerson pitched the top of the seventh to go all the way as ETBU closed out the win. The Tigers will play at LeTourneau next weekend and come back home in two weeks to take on Concordia.