Kendall Fox
FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE
The University of Texas at Tyler baseball team scored eight runs in the bottom of the eighth inning on Monday night at Irwin field to rally and beat East Texas Baptist, 8-7.
The win completed UT Tyler’s three-game sweep of the Tigers in its first conference series of the season.
The Patriots (18-4, 3-0) got off to an inauspicious start as senior Blake Booher (Hurst, Texas) gave up an uncharacteristic three earned runs off of four hits to put the Patriots in a 0-5 hole after the top of the first.
However, junior Matt Sparks (Owasso, Okla.) kept UT Tyler in the game by giving up just two unearned runs off of five hits over 6.1 innings.
The Tigers (9-12, 1-5) added two runs in the top of the sixth to extend their lead to 7-0.
ETBU pitcher Chase Willard (Celina, Texas) threw seven shutout innings, but allowed two runs in the top of the eighth to begin the Patriot comeback.
Senior Chris Tucker (Flower Mound, Texas) entered the game in the sixth inning, but made his time in the game count by going 3-for-3 and driving in not only the first run of the rally, but the winning run as well.
The Patriot who scored both the first and winning runs, senior Austin Newell (Kennedale, Texas), also had a huge eighth inning with a single, a double, two runs and two RBIs.
Senior pitcher Josh Long (Amarillo, Texas) went one inning with no hits or runs and just one walk in the top of the eighth to pick up his first win of the season.
Senior closer Beau Ziegler (N. Wales, Pa.) earned his third save of the year by striking out all three batters in the top of the ninth.
UT Tyler will return to Irwin Field on Tuesday evening to host Texas-Dallas in a non-conference match-up. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
