Friday, May 05, 2006

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (May 5, 2006) - With the score locked at 0-0 going into the eight inning, the ETSU softball team rallied to pick up the 7-0 win over Lipscomb in game one of Friday's two-game tilt at Draper Diamond.  The Lady Bucs carried the momentum into the nightcap, claiming the 4-2 decision in their final series of the regular season.

With the sweep, ETSU, which has won seven of its last eight, improves to 20-34, 9-11 in the Atlantic Sun while also securing a bid in the upcoming A-Sun Conference Tournament.  Lipscomb falls to 14-34 overall, 4-14 in conference play.

The Lady Bucs took advantage of three walks and a pair of errors by the Bisons in the eight inning of game one, to score seven runs on four hits.  Stephanie Cope (Maryville, Tenn.) took care of the game winner, doubling home Jessica Lonsinger (Dale City, Va.).

Stephanie Gaynord (Manassas, Va.) followed with a two-run double, which scored Melissa McCall (Kingsport, Tenn.) and Cope.  Janine Sprague (Hillsborough, N.C.) ripped the third RBI-double of the inning two batters later.

Mary Catherine Vercoe (Signal Mountain, Tenn.) picked up the win in a complete 8.0 innings to improve to 9-12 on the season.  Vercoe scattered six hits for the game, while fanning three and walking two. 

Sara Meek (9-17) took the loss for the Bison, after throwing 7.0 innings and giving up six hits and five earned runs.  Meek was tough in circle early on, allowing just two hits and striking out seven prior to the Lady Bucs' eighth-inning rally.

ETSU took the 1-0 lead in the top of the first in game two, thanks to a lead-off homerun from Gaynord, her ninth of the season.  Gaynord, the reigning A-Sun Player of the Week, has had the hot bat for the closing weeks of the season and is currently on a seven-game hitting streak.

Lipscomb answered in the second, taking the 2-1 lead on a two-run single from Kate Richards.  The Lady Bucs posted another late-inning rally in the sixth, scoring three runs on four hits to earn the 4-2 win.

Gaynord accounted for the tying run, sending another double up the middle to score Courtney Jenkins (Knoxville, Tenn.).  The Lady Bucs got the winning run on a sacrifice fly from Sprague to score Gaynord.  Vercoe then knocked home Tori Gast (Germantown, Tenn.) with a two-out single for the final run of the contest.

Jenkins got the win, giving up five hits and two earned runs in a complete game in the circle.  The senior improves to 7-13 with the victory.  Kim Jacobson suffered the loss for Lipscomb, dropping to 2-9 on the year.  Jacobson allowed six hits and four earned runs in 5 2/3 innings.

The Lady Bucs now await their A-Sun Tournament fate with several conference series left to finish before the bracket can be set.  The tournament begins on May 11, in Boca Raton, Fla.  Stay tuned to ETSUBucs.com for updates.