Wolff, Horner guide Blue and Gold to a win over UT-Martin; Bucs fall to UTC in nightcap

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (Feb. 25, 2012) – A pair of sophomores helped guide the ETSU softball team to a split at the Frost Classic on Saturday afternoon inside Frost Stadium.

Katie Wolff (LaGrange, Texas) – who took a no-hitter into the sixth inning – allowed one run on four hits and recorded a career-high seven strikeouts, while Casey Horner (Whitesburg, Tenn.) went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI as the Bucs went on to defeat UT-Martin for the second straight season, 5-1.

However, the Blue and Gold couldn’t pull off the sweep on day two of the tournament.  

Senior outfielder Annie Martin (Centerville, Tenn.) was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate, but Chattanooga scored six unanswered runs en route to a 6-1 victory over ETSU.

Freshman Alex Everett (Soddy Daisy, Tenn.) extended her hitting streak to 11 straight games after going 1-for-3 with two RBI versus UT-Martin, but she saw her streak come to an end after going hitless in three at-bats against the Mocs.

The Bucs look to end the tournament with a win on Sunday when ETSU takes on Niagara at 11 a.m.  

ETSU vs. UT-Martin Recap

Katie Wolff kept the Skyhawk hitters in check and Casey Horner continued her hot streak after going 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI, as ETSU snapped its three-game losing streak with a 5-1 win over UT-Martin.

Wolff earned her first win of the 2012 season and saw her record move to 1-2 after allowing only one run on four hits, while striking out a career-high seven batters in the complete game effort. ETSU’s 1-thru-3 hitters reached base five times, while driving in a pair of runs and scored two of the five runs.

After ETSU was sent down in order to start the first two innings, the Buccaneer bats finally came alive as ETSU scored three runs in the third and added two more in the fifth to grab a hefty five-run cushion.

The Bucs loaded the bases with one out in the third by only registering one hit, and ironically scored their first run of the game without contact, as Haley Thompson (Nicholson, Ga.) worked a bases loaded walk, scoring Mariam Wood (Soddy Daisy, Tenn.). From there, Horner drove in a pair of runs with her two-run scoring double down the line in left, making it a 3-0 contest.

With Wolff keeping the Skyhawks hitless through the first five innings, the Buccaneer offense gave her a few more runs to work with when Alex Everett’s two-out out double – not only extended her hitting streak to 11 straight games – but it also plated Wolff and Thompson.

Unfortunately, the no-hitter was broken up with a leadoff single in the sixth and the shutout was wiped away with two outs in the seventh. Erica Duke’s RBI double to right-center brought in the Skyhawks’ lone run, ending Wolff’s bid for her second career blanking.

UT-Martin’s (7-6) Chel Jones suffered the loss as she was charged for five runs (four earned) on six hits in seven innings of work.

ETSU vs. Chattanooga Recap

Senior Michelle Fuzzard and junior Sara Poteat combined to go a perfect 5-for-5 with two RBI and four runs scored as Chattanooga handed the Bucs a 6-1 setback on Saturday afternoon.

Fuzzard was 2-for-2 with a double, two walks, and two RBI, while Poteat recorded three hits in three at-bats and scored four runs.

Freshman right-hander Taylor Deason outpitched senior righty Shelby Morris (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.) in the circle. Deason earned the win (5-2) after allowing one unearned run on five hits, while Morris was tagged for six runs (five earned) on nine hits and issued six walks.

The Bucs took the lead in the top of the first when Katie Wolff’s RBI ground out to first brought home Haley Thompson, giving ETSU the early 1-0 lead.

However, it was all Chattanooga from that point forward.  

The Mocs tied the game at one in the bottom half of the inning when Kasey Tydingco’s sacrifice fly to center plated Poteat.

Chattanooga (7-4) took the lead for good in the second after Nicole Osterman scored the go-ahead run on a passed ball, and once again it was Poteat who scored, when Fuzzard’s two-out single up the middle made it 3-1.

The Fuzzard/Poteat duo accounted for another run in the fourth when Fuzzard’s two-out double to left scored Poteat from second, while another two-out double in the sixth wrapped up the Mocs’ scoring to make it a 6-1 final.

Annie Martin registered her third multi-hit game of the season after posting three of ETSU’s five hits in the game.

For more information on Buccaneer softball, visit www.ETSUBucs.com.