Tyler ETCA Explodes Late to Reach TAPPS 2A/1A State Championship Game

WACO -- Tyler East Texas Christian Academy punched its ticket to the TAPPS 2A/1A state baseball championship game with a 6-2, nine-winning over Watauga Harvest Christian on Tuesday.

ETCA will face Shiner St. Paul in the state finals at 2 p.m. Wednesday from Mary Hardin-Baylor's Red Murff Field in Belton.

The two teams played to a scoreless tie through seven innings before each team scored twice in the eighth.

Brandon Baker doubled home a run in the ninth to give ETCA a 3-2 lead. Jonathan Cox followed with an RBI double, Nick Hawkins then singled in a run and later scored after a throwing error by the catcher.

Matthew Brooks struck out the side in the bottom of the ninth to seal the victory. Cade Suggs pitched the first eight innings to record the win.

ETCA took the game's first lead with two runs in the top of the eighth. William Finley singled home a run and came around to score on a ground out.

But Harvest Christian answered with two runs in the bottom half, scoring the tying run on a Keith Johnson RBI triple.