Saturday, March 09, 2002

Johnson City, Tenn. (Mar. 9, 2002) -- East Tennessee State softball fell to host Western Kentucky in their first game on Saturday in the Western Kentucky University/Ramada Inn Spring Fling from Bowling Green, Ky. ETSU's second game of the day is in jeopardy due to inclement weather in and around Bowling Green. Western Kentucky (11-7) opened up the scoring by plating two runs in the top of the first. The Bucs (7-9) responded quickly by scoring two runs of their own in the second to tie the game. Freshman third baseman Lindsay Lane (Erwin, Tenn.) led off the inning with a single to right center. The next batter, sophomore first baseman Miranda Byerly (Candler, N.C) also laced a double, scoring Lane. Byerly would score on a double to left center by sophomore left fielder Reah Holler (Peoria, Ariz.) to tie the game at two. Following the Buccaneer spurt in the second, the Hilltoppers would score six unanswered runs to taken the game, 8-2. WKU scored single runs in the third and fifth innings and plated four runs in the sixth. Buccaneer freshman pitcher Courtney Jenkins (Knoxville, Tenn.) pitched a complete game, allowing eight earned runs on 10 hits, striking out three. Her record is now 2-3 on the season. Holler was the star at the plate for the Bucs, going 2-3 with an RBI on the day. The Championship rounds of the Western Kentucky University/Ramada Inn Spring Fling will continue late tonight and Sunday, weather permitting.