Senior sets new career-highs in complete game shutout

CHARLESTON, S.C. (April 23, 2023) – Quality pitching was the reoccurring theme this weekend for ETSU in a three-game series at The Citadel, as the final day produced a brilliant performance from fifth-year senior Nathanial Tate (Manchester, Tenn.) in a 1-0 victory for the Bucs on Sunday to decide the series.   

Having to follow a quality start on Friday from Colby Stuart (Elon, N.C.) and a complete game, seven inning shut-out victory from Cade Carlson (Carmel, Ind.) yesterday to tie the series, Tate rose to the occasion with flying colors. The senior pitched 9.0 innings for the first time in his career, while striking out a career-high 13 batters in the win. He scattered five hits and four walks, but no runs for the complete game shutout.

For the series, ETSU went the distance with all three starters and did not allow a walk until the series finale. That walk came during Tate’s first time through the order, where he walked one but struck out the other eight. The player that walked, Travis Lott, was struck out his second time up. Tate went on to add four more Ks to pass his previous career-high of 11 strikeouts. He did all of this while throwing 124 pitches — 78 for strikes.

With a masterpiece brewing on the mound, ETSU did not need much by way of run support but got it in the form of a two-out RBI single by Cameron Sisneros (Littleton, Colo.) to bring home Tommy Barth (Brecksville, Ohio) in the eighth inning. Barth hit an infield single and was bunted over to second by Nick Iannantone (Plainfield, Ill.) to set up the RBI knock by Sisneros.

Barth, Iannantone, Sisneros and Cody Miller (Rocky Point, N.Y.) accounted for ETSU’s four hits. Miller also added a stolen base.

ETSU now has five shutout wins this season, including wins over Appalachian State, Winthrop, Tennessee Tech and two this weekend over The Citadel. Heading into this past week, only 11 teams had posted five or more shutouts this season — LSU, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Wake Forest, Virginia, Duke, Northeastern, McNeese State, Army, Georgetown and Eastern Illinois.

Today’s win allowed ETSU to take two of three in a series for the fifth time this season and for the first time in Southern Conference play. The victory moves ETSU into a tie with The Citadel in the league standings and a half-game back of next week’s opponent, Western Carolina, to set up an important home series.

PITCHERS OF RECORD

Win – Nathanial Tate (5-3)

Loss – Cameron Reeves (6-3)

Save – None

TEAM RECORDS

ETSU: 17-20, 4-8 SoCon

CIT: 18-19, 4-8 SoCon

ON DECK

The Bucs finish out an eight-game road stretch on Tuesday, April 25 at Radford. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. in Virginia.

ETSU has won both of the previous meetings with Radford this season, including a 9-4 win in Radford on March 28 and a 6-5 walk-off victory in Johnson City on April 11.

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