May 6, 2005

MARSHALL, Texas - East Texas Baptist's Nick Martinek hit a two-run walkoff home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Tigers an 11-9 win over Hardin-Simmons in the first game of the American Southwest Conference Tournament.

The Cowboys had taken a 7-4 lead over the Tigers with seven runs in the top of the fifth inning. Barry Janisse and Brad Coleman each had home runs in the inning.

East Texas Baptist came back to tie the game in the bottom of the fifth as they chased Cowboy starter Kurtis Lay. Kyle Tabor came on and walked two batters and allowed a hit and Craig Foreman came on and pitched the rest of the game.

HSU added a run in the sixth and ETBU came back with two more to take a 9-8 lead. The Cowboys tied it in the seventh inning on a Craig Johnson home run. It remained scoreless until the ninth when Jared Poteet hit a long double off the wall in left and then Martinek provided the dramatics.

Johnson and Justin Wilson had three hits each for the Cowboys, who fell to 26-18 with the loss. ETBU improved to 34-9 on the year.

The Cowboys will play Concordia-Austin at 9 a.m. on Saturday. The Tornados loss 12-2 in the other game on Friday. The game will be on the air at KAGT 90.5 FM.

--- HSU Athletics ---