MARSHALL, TEXAS (04.22.22) - A five-run 8th inning brought the East Texas Baptist Tigers back from a 5-2 deficit in the opening game of an important American Southwest Conference series with the UT Dallas Comets Friday night, earning the Tigers a 7-5 victory.
The two teams, battling for the top spot in the ASC standings, meet in a doubleheader at 1 pm Saturday to wrap up the series. With the win, ETBU (27-10, 23-5) took a two-game lead in the loss colum
In the Friday opener, the Comets (25-9, 18-7 ASC) imploded in the 8th, giving up a three-run lead by surrendering five runs on three hits, a pair of costly errors and a wild pitch. Even then, UTD had a chance in its last at-bat by loading the bases with no one out, and
Andrew Skivington coming within a few feet of knocking his second home run of the game, which would have been a grand slam and put the Comets back in front.
Leadoff hitter
Jacob Perry led off the inning with a single through the right side and
Ramon Garza walked before
A.J. Liu singled on a comebacker to the pitcher to load the bases. But a pop-up and strikeout left it up to Skivington, who sent a deep fly ball to left field that landed just in front of the fence for the final out of the game.
Skivington had a leadoff home run for the Comets in the 2nd inning to put UTD in front with an early 2-1 lead. Liu then knocked a two-run shot in the 5th after Perry had led off the inning with a double, giving UTD a 4-2 lead.
Ramon Garza's 7th inning RBI single gave UTD a 5-2 advantage.
But the Tigers pulled to within one to start the disastrous 8th inning with a walk and two-run home run. After a pitching change, three straight ETBU bunts resulted in an infield single and two run-scoring errors on errant throws. The Comets added to the problems with a wild pitch that brought home the seventh run of the game for the Tigers.
Jacob Good took over on the mound for UTD and coaxed a pair of pop outs and a strikeout to keep the game close.
Liu and Perry were a combined 4-for-7 with three runs scored.
Dylan Hugley (4-1) threw 5.2 innings in the start and gave up just one earned run.
Â