May 13, 2016
NCAA SOFTBALL: TYLER, Texas (5/13/16) – Showing why they are one of the top teams in the nation in the opening game of the NCAA Division III National Tournament, #8 East Texas Baptist University shut out #5 Texas Lutheran University, 11-0, for their 35th win of the year. The win was ETBU’s 26th program win in the NCAA Tournament.
ETBU recorded 10 hits for 11 runs in the run-ruled game of five innings. Jessica Bowden led the team with three hits in four at-bats with two RBI. Recording two hits were Lindsey Vasquez and Linzie Lewis. Adding two RBI in the game were Vasquez and Lacey Lindsey. Kelly Jo McLendon went the five innings allowing no runs and seven hits for her 15th win. ETBU handed TLU ace Taylor Grissom her first loss of the season as she is 16-1.
Bowden put ETBU on the board quickly in the first inning as ETBU was the visiting team. She singled to centerfield as Lewis became the first run of the game. It was the third inning that broke the back of the Bulldogs as ETBU scored six runs to make it 7-0. Bowden once again singled for the second run of the game to start the six-run third inning. Kaitlyn Hollingshead reached on an error as Lindsey came in for the 3-0 lead. Shelby Irlbeck picked up her RBI with a single out to center field as Bowden came in for the four-run lead. With the bases loaded, Katy Hill was hit for the 20th time this year as she gained a RBI making it 5-0. Vasquez followed on a walk pushing across the sixth run and then Lewis had an error on her at-bat that let Irbeck come in for the seventh run of the game.
In the fifth inning ETBU scored four more runs for the 11-0 lead. Vasquez had another RBI on a single out to center field and the Lewis added the ninth run on a single to left field as Irlbeck scored again. Lindsey finished out the scoring with a two run single into left field as ETBU went up 11-0 in the fifth inning.
TLU had the bases loaded in the first inning when down 1-0 but McLendon had the final out of the inning pop up to Bowden. In the second inning, TLU also had a chance with two runners on and two outs and down 1-0 but once again ETBU’s defense came through with a ground out to end any threat.
ETBU will now advance to play UT-Tyler on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. in a winners bracket game. UT-Tyler defeated Agnes Scott 8-0 in the second game of the NCAA Division III Softball Championship regional tournament.