Bucs take on Belmont Friday, Lipscomb Saturday in Nashville

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (May 3, 2012) – The ETSU softball team wraps up its 2012 season this weekend when the Bucs head to the Music City to face Belmont and Lipscomb in Atlantic Sun Conference action.

On Friday, the Bucs take on Belmont at 5 and 7 p.m. Eastern inside E.S. Rose Park, while closing out the weekend with a twinbill at Lipscomb Saturday evening with first pitch slated for 7 p.m. Eastern from Draper Diamond.

ETSU (11-34, 1-13) hasn’t played since dropping two to Eastern Kentucky back on April 26, while red-shirt freshman first baseman Casey Horner (Whitesburg, Tenn.) looks to put her name into the Buccaneer record books this weekend in Nashville.

Horner enters the weekend with the third highest on-base percentage (.421) in single-season history and her .565 slugging percentage currently places her fourth. In addition, Horner’s seven home runs are tied for fourth in a single-season, while senior Annie Martin (Centerville, Tenn.) needs one more triple to move into a tie for third for the most triples hit by a Buccaneer player in a season.

Belmont (11-34, 5-9) has lost four straight and is coming off a 14-13 10-inning setback at Southeast Missouri State on Wednesday night.

The Bruins are led by senior first baseman Ashley Byers’ .339 batting average, 38 hits, seven home runs, and 24 RBI, while sophomore pitcher Mia Vierra has accounted for eight of Belmont’s 11 wins in the circle.

The Bucs swept Belmont last season in Johnson City and lead the all-time series, 12-2.

On Saturday, the Bucs face a Lipscomb (31-17, 8-6) team who has won five of its last six conference games.  

The Lady Bisons feature a potent attack from senior hurler Whitney Kiihnl in the circle and junior transfer Kelsey Cartwright at the plate. Kiihnl – the 2010 A-Sun Player and Pitcher of the Year selection – is 21-11 with a 1.73 ERA (51 ER/206.0 IP) along with 204 strikeouts. Meanwhile, Cartwright – who is playing her first season at Lipscomb after transferring from Auburn – is hitting a team-leading .361 (53-147) with six doubles, two triples, 14 home runs, and 38 RBI in 48 games.

After winning the first six games in the series, the Bucs have lost the last eight to the Lady Bisons as Lipscomb holds a slight 8-6 all-time advantage. ETSU is looking for its first win over Lipscomb since splitting with the Lady Bisons back in April 2008 in Nashville.

Fans unable to make the trip to the Music City can follow live stats via Gametracker on ETSUBucs.com, while Twitter updates will be posted @ETSUAthletics.

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