BUIES CREEK, N.C. (Feb. 6, 2015) - The ETSU softball team will open its 2015 campaign this weekend as the Buccaneers travel to Buies Creek, N.C., to take part in the Hampton Inn Invitational at Campbell University. During the invitational, ETSU will go toe-to-toe with Youngstown State and Presbyterian Saturday, Feb. 7, and Campbell Sunday, Feb. 8.

ETSU WEEKEND SCHEDULE*

Sat., Feb. 7 vs. Youngstown State - 8:30 a.m. EST

Sat., Feb. 7 vs. Presbyterian - 12:30 p.m.

Sun., Feb. 8 vs. Campbell - 3:30 p.m.

*Live stats throughout the invitational will be provided by Campbell and can be accessed by clicking here.

Due to schedule changes for Day One (Friday, Feb. 6) of the invitational, ETSU's originally scheduled 1:00 p.m. game versus Campbell Sunday, Feb. 8 has been removed from the tournament schedule. Any other schedule changes will be released via ETSUBucs.com, ETSU Softball Twitter and Facebook accounts, and Buc Updates. Links for ETSU Softball social media accounts and Buc Updates can be found at the bottom of this page.

BUCS AT BAT

ETSU returns 16 players from last season's squad that finished 20-32, marking the program's first 20-win season since 2010. The Bucs saw a 42% improvement in offensive production from 2013 to 2014.

Returning all but five players from last year, the Buccaneers will look to replace the offensive firepower lost through the departures of 2014 seniors Jackie Baird and Katie Wolff, who each enjoyed record-setting seasons at the plate in 2014 en route to producing nearly one-third of ETSU's offense (68 RBI, 54 runs).

Four of the six ETSU players who maintained a batting average of .250 or better in 2014 are back for the Bucs: sophomores Taylor Carter (Brazil, Ind.), Danielle Knoetze (San Diego, Calif.), and Kelsey Chernak (Ooltewah, Tenn.), and senior Nicole Fox (Peachtree City, Ga.).

During her freshman campaign, Carter started 26 games at first base and emerged as the Bucs' third-leading batter, hitting .270 with seven homers and 29 RBI. On the mound, Carter led ETSU with 13 wins, maintaining a 3.68 ERA while finishing second in NCAA Division I for fewest walks per seven innings (0.74).

Knoetze started 35 games in 2014 before suffering a season-ending injury, batting .267 with six home runs and 17 RBI in just 90 at bats.

Splitting time at the middle-infield positions, Chernak was one of just three ETSU players to score 23 or more runs. The Ooltewah, Tenn., native finished the season with a .252 batting average and 10 doubles.

Fox paced the Bucs with five triples and 20 stolen bases in 2014. Entering her final season at ETSU, she ranks in the Top 20 in program history for career batting average (.276), runs (73), hits (142), and total bases (164). The Peachtree City, Ga., native is the program's all-time leader for stolen base percentage (.873), and ranks third and fourth all-time for triples (8) and stolen bases (48), respectively.

ETSU welcomes seven newcomers to the fold this season: freshmen Emma Martindale (Johnson City, Tenn.), Madison Ogle (Maryville, Tenn.), Kaitlin Patsel (Greenville, Tenn.) Cassi Pickett (Chattanooga, Tenn.), Haley Reynolds (Soddy Daisy, Tenn.), and Kelsey Smith (Tucson, Ariz.), and sophomore Lindsey Fadnek (Coalfield, Tenn.).

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