Monday, October 05, 2009

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Oct. 5, 2009) - The ETSU softball team opened fall play with a bang on Saturday afternoon, as the Lady Bucs belted four home runs en route to a sweep over Mars Hill and King College inside the ETSU Softball Complex. The Lady Bucs defeated Mars Hill 5-4 in the opener, while cruising to an 11-3 victory over King in the nightcap.

The Lady Bucs pounded out 19 hits and plated 16 runs in the two games, while ETSU's pitchers posted 11 strikeouts.

ETSU vs. Mars Hill Recap

Despite falling down 2-0 in the first inning to Mars Hill, ETSU responded with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the frame thanks to a key leadoff triple from senior shortstop Cheniece Cason (Moreno Valley, Calif.) and a two-run bomb by fellow senior outfielder Katy Jett (Talbott, Tenn.).

After keeping the contest tied at 2-all through the next three innings, Cason and Jett came through with clutch hits in the bottom of the fifth. Once again, Cason led things off with a hit single and advanced to second on a stolen base. Following sophomore Annie Martin's (Centerville, Tenn.) sac bunt, Jett singled home Cason, making it a 3-2 Lady Buccaneer advantage.

The Lady Bucs tacked on two critical runs the very next inning when freshman Lucy Schneider (Dade City, Fla.) reached on an error by the Mars Hill third baseman, and scored on Arielle Garner's (Buchanan, Ga.) one-out double. Garner later trotted home to put ETSU ahead, 5-2.

Mars Hill posted one last fight, but with the Lady Bucs leading 5-4, sophomore right-hander Shelby Morris (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.) zoned in and retired the final two hitters she faced to come away with the victory. The Lions cut the deficit to 5-4 on Anna James' two-run homer, but Morris fanned her fifth batter of the afternoon to hold on for the win.

Overall, four of ETSU's eight hits went for extra bases, with Garner recording two doubles and Jett blasting the two-run bomb.

ETSU vs. King Recap

The Lady Buccaneer offense didn't let up in the nightcap, as senior Trisha Massenzo (Russellville, Tenn.) jacked two home runs and Lucy Schneider connected on her first home run during the 11-3 win over King College.

Just like in the opener, King sprinted out to an early one-run lead with a solo homer in the top of the first; however, Schneider returned the favor in the bottom half of the first when she took King's pitcher yard to even the game at, 1-1.

The see-saw game continued with the Tornado grabbing a 2-1 lead in the top of the second, but the Lady Bucs hit around in their half of the second to jump ahead, 6-2. Massenzo began the explosion with a solo shot - and after sophomore Marlina Delisa (Tucson, Ariz.) worked a one-out walk - the Tucson, Ariz. native moved up to second on Mikayla Treadway's (Unicoi, Tenn.) single. Cheniece Cason came through with runners in scoring position and increased the lead with another ETSU single. After Schneider reached base for the second time of the game with a walk, Katy Jett came through with a sac fly RBI - putting the Lady Bucs up, 5-2. ETSU plated its fifth run of the inning and grabbed a 6-2 cushion on Arielle Garner's single.

After King scored its third and final run of the afternoon in the top of the third, ETSU opened the game up by plating one run in the third and three more in the fourth - pushing the Lady Bucs' margin to 10-3. Treadway scored the final run of the game on Schneider's RBI double in the fifth, making it an 11-3 final.

Junior newcomer Jessica Duncan (Ooltewah, Tenn.) went the distance to secure the win by allowing three runs on five hits and fanning six Tornado hitters.

The ETSU softball team returns to action on Saturday afternoon when the Lady Bucs host Milligan and Tusculum. The Lady Bucs take on the Lady Buffs at noon and 6 p.m., while facing the Pioneers at 4 p.m.

For more information on Lady Buccaneer softball, visit www.ETSUBucs.com.