Thursday, April 21, 2005

(April 21, 2005) - The ETSU Lady Bucs softball squad (24-25) halted Tennessee Tech's (23-26) five-game winning streak in dramatic fashion Thursday afternoon as the Bucs claimed a 5-4 non-conference victory in eight innings after the Golden Eagles had battled back twice to tie the game, including a rally in the bottom of the seventh.  Game two however, TTU came determined to start a new streak, as it took until the sixth inning for either team to score, but Tech came up victorious with a 1-0 decision.

In the opener, Tech jumped to a quick 1-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI single from Kacy Bennett with two outs. Katie Speiser drew a leadoff walk, went to second on a passed ball and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Beth Boden.

The visitors put two runs on the board in the fifth with two hits on two Golden Eagle errors. With one out, Jessica Lonsinger (Dale City, Va.) reached on an error and was replaced by pinch runner Stephanie Cope (Maryville, Tenn.). Amanda Haverman (Kirkwood, Mo.) sent a ball over the infield for a hit and both runners advanced on a groundout, putting two in scoring position with two outs.

Briana Knight (Brier, Wa.) hit a ball that just nicked off the glove of a leaping Beth Boden at shortstop for a single to left, driving home Cope with the tying run. The second run trotted home when Tech's throw down to second on an attempted steal sailed into center field and Haverman notched another unearned run for a 2-1 ETSU lead.

Tech got the run back in the bottom of the fifth to tie things at 2-2. With two outs, Lindsay Williams singled and Katie Speiser walked. Both runners moved ahead on a passed ball, and Boden's grounder to shortstop was mishandled for an error, allowing Speiser to score.

The Lady Bucs went back up, 4-2, in the sixth. Lindsay Lane (Erwin, Tenn.) singled to short to open the inning, and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Stephanie Gaynord (Manassas, Va.) drove a double off the left field fence for an RBI scoring Lane, and Lonsinger reached on an error as Gaynord came around with the second run.

Tech got one run back in the sixth as pinch-runner Katie Scammerhorn moved to third on a single by Bynum and raced home on a throwing error. However, reliever Courtney Jenkins (Knoxville, Tenn.) got out of the jam with a strikeout, stranding Tech runners at second and third.

Tech had a little more drama in the seventh to tie the game as Ashley Potts drove a deep fly to left for a sacrifice, sending Katie Speiser from third.  ETSU's winning run came when Lane, placed on second via the international tie-breaker, scored on a single to center by Lonsinger. Bennett got to third base in the Tech half of the eighth, but was stranded there.

Bynum (16-15) went the distance to take the loss, pitching eight innings and allowing only one earned run. She gave up seven hits, walked one a struck out three. Starter Belinda Barrerra (Fayetteville, N.C.) worked the first five innings, while Jenkins (13-12) got the win by throwing the final three innings. She also came on in relief in game two, taking the loss for the Lady Bucs, after pitching a complete inning, allowing one run on two hits.  At the plate, ETSU was led by Knight with two hits, while Gaynord, Lonsinger and Knight each recorded one RBI in the win.  Lady Bucs freshman pitcher Brittney Lehrschall (Leland, N.C.) started game two, going five innings, allowing one hit, a walk and two strikeouts in her 23rd appearance of 2005. 

In game two, both offenses struggled to get anything going, but Tech broke onto the scoreboard in the sixth inning, providing all the momentum they needed to allow freshman pitcher Sarah Street to pick up her first career shutout and third complete game of the season.

In the sixth, Katie Speiser singled to center on a 3-2 pitch, and moved to second on a Beth Boden sacrifice bunt. Ashley Potts came through with a clutch hit on a 1-2 count, picking up a single to center, scoring Speiser.  After the exciting win in game one, the Bucs offense was silent in game two with just three hits for the contest.

ETSU returns to action this weekend when they host league leading UTC for a three-game series at Metro Kiwanis Park.  Competition begins with the Saturday doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m.