Saturday, April 29, 2006

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (April 29, 2006) - The ETSU softball team split its Atlantic Sun doubleheader with Gardner-Webb on Saturday, dropping the opener 7-5, but rebounding in the nightcap with a 4-3 victory, at Metro-Kiwanis Park.  ETSU now stands at 18-34, 7-11 in conference play, while GWU finishes the series at 12-36, 7-13 in the A-Sun.

After securing the game one victory, Garder-Webb looked to control the second contest, plating two scores in the first inning for the early advantage.  Abbie Looper started the inning with a single, before teammate Jessi Williams knocked her home with a single to center.  Williams would also score on the play, coming around to score after an error in the ETSU outfield.

The Lady Bucs bounced back in the second, beginning with back-to-back singles from freshman duo Jessie Hackworth (Clinton, Tenn.) and Mary Catherine Vercoe (Signal Mountain, Tenn.). 

Jessica Lonsinger (Dale City, Va.) then reached on a fielder's choice, which allowed Hackworth to score on an overthrow by Looper, who was attempting to nab Hackworth at third.  Pinch runner Tori Gast (Germantown, Tenn.) would also score on the play after a bad throw by left fielder Williams.

The Lady Bucs plated another pair of the runs in the third, with Amanda Haverman (Kirkwood, Mo.) singling to left center to score Briana Knight (Brier, Wash.).  Hackworth followed with another single, scoring Janine Sprague (Hillsborough, N.C.).  Hackworth had an outstanding game in the nightcap, going 3-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored.

Vercoe (8-12) was credited with the win, after throwing a complete seven innings, allowing two earned runs and striking out two.  Bulldog Haley Scism took the loss, giving up eight hits and two earned runs to fall to 7-21 on the year.

Big rallies in the late innings lifted the Bulldogs to victory in game one, led by a 3-for-4 performance from Joanna Ward and a three-RBI effort from Christie Barlow.  Down 2-0, GWU plated three runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to secure the win.

ETSU got out to the early 2-0 advantage, with Gast scoring the first run of the afternoon on a sacrifice fly from Stephanie Cope (Maryville, Tenn.) in the second.  ETSU got its second score from Stephanie Gaynord (Manassas, Va.) who blasted her eight homerun in the season in the third.

The Lady Bucs cut into the GWU lead in the sixth, thanks to a three-run shot from Hackworth, her fourth of the season.  ETSU brought the winning run to the plate in the seventh, but a clutch catch by Bulldog second baseman Lindsay Cox ended the Lady Bucs' rally.  

GWU starter Taryn Beck picked up the win in 5 2/3 innings of work, while Courtney Jenkins (Knoxville, Tenn.) suffered the loss for the Lady Bucs.  Jenkins falls to 6-13 after giving up four hits and two earned runs in three innings.  GWU's Scism got the save in 1 1/3 innings in the circle.

The Lady Bucs finish up their regular season slate this Friday, traveling to Nashville, Tenn., to face Lipscomb.  Game time is set from 2 p.m. CST, with the second game to follow.