MARSHALL, TEXAS - No. 6 Tiger Baseball outslugs ETBU to advance to the regional final.
 
The Tigers' (38-7) offense lit up the scoreboard in a thrilling 12–10 comeback win over East Texas Baptist, fueled by several standout individual performances at the plate. Leading the charge was Maddox McDonald (San Antonio, Texas / Antonian), who went 2-for-5 with two home runs and six RBIs, including a solo blast in the first and a pivotal grand slam in the seventh that tied the game. Nicholas Jones (Southlake, Texas / Carroll) added his own power surge, finishing 3-for-5 with a solo homer and two runs scored. Catcher Nicholas Lazzara (Carrollton, Texas / Jesuit College Prep) also came up big, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs, including a sacrifice fly in the fifth and a solo homer in the eighth to extend the lead. Will Baker (Missouri City, Texas / Ridge Point) delivered the go-ahead blow in the seventh with a two-RBI single, while Brandon Nelson (Missouri City, Texas / Ridge Point) contributed with a 2-for-4 performance and an early RBI single in the second inning.
 
On the mound, Will Taylor (Greenwood Village, Colorado / Cherry Creek) picked up the win to improve to 7–0 on the season. He threw 3.2 innings in relief, allowing five hits and five runs (four earned), while striking out three. Closing things out was Wes Hellings (Summit, New Jersey / Summit), who earned his first save of the year by tossing 1.2 scoreless innings with one hit and one strikeout. 
 
The Rundown
 
Trinity came out swinging in a wild offensive showdown against East Texas Baptist, and the Tigers needed every bit of firepower in a back-and-forth thriller. In the bottom of the first, McDonald jump started the scoring with a solo shot, quickly followed by Jones' launching one of his own to give Trinity a 2-0 lead. They tacked on another run in the second when Brandon Nelson singled home Kai Tinker, who had doubled to open the inning.
 
After a quiet third, the Tigers saw their early lead evaporate in the top of the fourth when East Texas Baptist erupted for five runs, capped by a pair of two-run homers. Trinity clawed back in the fifth as McDonald drove in a run on a fielder's choice and Lazzara added a sacrifice fly to tie the game 5-5.
 
The seventh inning for Trinity was nothing short of electric—an offensive explosion that turned the tide of the game and showcased the Tigers' relentless resilience.
 
Trailing 10-5 after East Texas Baptist put up a five-run top half, Trinity came to the plate with urgency and fire. Michael Lustina (Austin, Texas / Westlake) worked a leadoff walk to get things going, and John Ramsey (Austin, Texas / Westwood) followed with a sharp single to left, putting two on with no outs. A passed ball moved both runners into scoring position, and after a walk to Kaleb Woodward (San Pedro, California / Palos Verdes Peninsula) loaded the bases, the stage was set.
 
McDonald stepped in and delivered the swing of the game—a towering grand slam that cleared the fence and cleared the deficit in one stroke. McDonald's second homer of the game brought Trinity all the way back to within 10-9, and the momentum had clearly shifted.
 
The Tigers weren't done. Lazzara followed with a single to second, and then Jones roped a double down the right-field line, pushing Lazzara to third. With two runners in scoring position and the crowd buzzing, Baker came through in a huge way, lacing a single to right that scored both Lazzara and Jones. Just like that, Trinity had stormed ahead, 11-10, with a six-run outburst on six hits, turning a daunting deficit into a thrilling lead.
 
It was a statement inning—an offensive masterclass fueled by patience, clutch hitting, and sheer determination that proved to be the difference in the Tigers' comeback victory.
 
Lazzara added an insurance run with a solo homer in the eighth, and Wes Hellings slammed the door in the ninth, inducing a double play to end the game. In a gutsy comeback, Trinity outlasted East Texas Baptist 12-10 to improve to 38-7 on the season.
 
Looking Ahead
 
The Tigers will play the winner of Huntingdon and ETBU tomorrow at 11:00 AM.