Shubert shines for Spartans as regional power USC Upstate takes Tuesday doubleheader

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (March 17, 2015) - ETSU led perennial regional power USC Upstate for six innings Tuesday before the Spartans rallied to deal ETSU a 4-3, extra-inning loss.

The Buccaneers (10-12) were defeated, 5-0, in Game One of Tuesday's non-conference doubleheader at Betty Basler Field in Johnson City before being edged, 4-3, in eight innings in Game Two.

In the opening game of Tuesday's doubleheader, USC Upstate's Lexi Shubert, last season's Atlantic Sun Freshman of the Year, tossed a two-hit, complete-game shutout, earning her 11th victory of the season.

Redshirt senior Nicole Fox (Peachtree City, Ga.) went 0-for-3 in the Bucs' setback, bringing an end to her team-best 11-game hit streak.

ETSU shrugged off the Game One loss and jumped out to an early lead in the doubleheader finale—a lead the Bucs would hold until the seventh inning.

A two-run, first-inning home run by freshman Cassi Pickett (Chattanooga, Tenn.) gave the Bucs' a 2-1 advantage after one inning of play. In the second inning, Bethany Cowart (Ringgold, Ga.) belted an RBI-double to left field to extend ETSU's lead to 3-1 over the Spartans (19-4), who have made NCAA Tournament appearances each of the past two seasons.

Shubert replaced starting pitcher Amanda Storch in the fourth inning and quieted the Bucs' bats, limiting ETSU to just two hits over the next five frames.

ETSU senior pitcher Whitney Leon (Dandridge, Tenn.) held the Spartans and their seventh-ranked scoring offense in check for much of the game, allowing only one earned run through her first six innings of work.

After the Spartans plated a pair of runs in the seventh inning, knotting the game at 3-3, Cowart came within inches of giving the Bucs a walk-off victory when her long drive down the left field line hooked just foul.

In compliance with the international tiebreak format, USC Upstate began the eighth inning with Cheyenne Griffin on second base. After being moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Dana Landers, Griffin scored the eventual game-winning run on a single down the right field line by Kendall Settlemyre.

Shubert then retired ETSU's side in order to seal the narrow, 4-3 victory for USC Upstate, earning her second win of the day to improve her record to 12-3 on the year. In her two appearances Tuesday, Shubert pitched 12 scoreless innings, allowing only four hits while striking out 13 batters.

The Bucs will begin a six-game road trip Saturday, March 21 as they open Southern Conference play with a doubleheader at Western Carolina with games beginning at 1:00 and 3:00 p.m.

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