Howard Payne wrapped up its series in Marshall, Texas on Friday with a challenging outing against East Texas Baptist, but the Yellow Jackets continued to show flashes of offensive production throughout the contest.

After falling behind early, Howard Payne answered in the second inning with a productive stretch at the plate. Braden Franks sparked the rally with a single, while Nader Gulamhusein followed with an RBI knock that helped bring in two runs in the frame. Gulamhusein finished with a hit and an RBI, continuing his steady presence near the top of the lineup.

The Yellow Jackets found more rhythm in the fourth inning, putting together another multi-run effort. Eli McNair delivered a strong performance at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a double and scoring a run. Braiden Hurlbutt added an RBI single during the inning, while KT Smalls also drove in a run to help keep the offense moving.

Franks contributed a 1-for-2 showing with a run scored, and Howard Payne worked four walks as a team, showing patience in stretches despite facing a deep pitching staff.

On the mound, the Yellow Jackets used a number of arms throughout the game, with Kaleb Kuligowski providing a stretch out of the bullpen and Tyler George working multiple innings in relief.

While East Texas Baptist capitalized on early momentum, Howard Payne continued to compete offensively in pockets, putting together two separate multi-run innings and generating traffic on the bases.

Head Coach Stephen Lynn emphasized the team's continued effort and areas of growth following the game, noting that "we're seeing guys continue to fight and put together better at-bats even in tough situations. There are pieces there for us, and it's about staying consistent and continuing to build as we move forward."