JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. -- The East Tennessee State Buccaneer softball team will play their first ever home games at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Monday, March 12 in a doubleheader against Lambuth University at Kiwanis Park.

The program was founded on October 8, 1999 when it was announced that softball would become East Tennessee State’s 17th intercollegiate sport. Softball joins women's soccer as intercollegiate sports that have been added at ETSU in the last four years.

The Buccaneers are 1-10 to this point in the season, defeating Stephen F. Austin, 3-2 in the University of Houston Tournament for their first win. ETSU has played many close games, with four games being decided by one run.

Freshman Tiffany Vandergriff leads the Buccaneer batters, hitting .371 and also leads the squad with two stolen bases. Vandergriff is also one of the Buccaneers top pitchers, pacing the team with 12 strikeouts. Fellow freshman Julia Chance is hitting .310 and leads the team with two homeruns and eight runs batted in. Junior April Arnold leads the Bucs with a 2.89 earned run average.

ETSU Senior Women’s Administrator Kelly Andrews will be on hand Monday afternoon to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. Andrews has been an instrumental figure in the ETSU softball program coming to fruition.

The Buccaneers will play seven games at Kiwanis Park in the next week. After the Lambuth doubleheader, ETSU will play Tennessee Wesleyan for a doubleheader on Thursday, March 15 at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. On March 17th and 18th, the defending Southern Conference champions, the Chattanooga Mocs, travel to Johnson City for a doubleheader on Saturday and a single game on Sunday.

Directions to Kiwanis Park: From Memorial Center, take a right onto State of Franklin Road. Follow State of Franklin through a stop light, then turn left at the next stop light onto Tennessee Street. Take a left at the end of Tennessee Street onto Lamont Street. Lamont Street will turn into Sidney Street after a sharp right in front of the VA. Kiwanis Park will be on your right, turn right onto Main Street before passing the field for parking.