KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (March 23, 2015) - The ETSU softball team will visit in-state foe No. 15 Tennessee Tuesday, March 24 before traveling to Morehead, Ky., to take on Morehead State in a doubleheader Wednesday, March 25.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

Tuesday, March 24

6:00 p.m. at No. 15 Tennessee | AUDIO | LIVE STATS

Wednesday, March 25

2:00 p.m. at Morehead State | LIVE STATS

4:00 p.m. at Morehead State | LIVE STATS

GETTING UP TO SPEED

The Buccaneers (11-14, 1-2 SoCon) began Southern Conference play last weekend on the road versus Western Carolina.

While in Cullowhee, N.C., ETSU suffered setbacks in two of three contests versus the Catamounts. ETSU's win in Game One of the series came in 12 innings, with the Bucs manufacturing 12 runs on 14 hits.

This season, ETSU is 8-9 in road or neutral-site games.

Freshman Kelsey Smith (Tucson, Ariz.) remains the SoCon leader for home runs per game (0.35) and RBI per game (1.17). She leads ETSU with eight homers and 27 RBI.

Fellow freshman Cassi Pickett (Chattanooga, Tenn.) leads the Bucs with a .385 batting average, a mark that ranks 10th in the SoCon.

So far this season, centerfielder Nicole Fox (Peachtree City, Ga.) has proven to be one of the toughest outs in the league, striking out once per 18.2 at bats, ranking first in the SoCon. She is also the league leader in triples per game (0.12), and leads ETSU in triples (4), hits (33), and runs scored (18).

Jenine Duncan (Jonesborough, Tenn.) leads ETSU with 12 stolen bases, and ranks first in the SoCon for stolen bases per game (0.63).

On the mound, sophomore Taylor Carter (Brazil, Ind.) is the conference leader for fewest walks per seven innings (1.19), and ranks 25th in the nation in the category.

OPPONENTS AT A GLANCE

No. 15 Tennessee

The fifteenth-ranked Tennessee Lady Vols (21-7, 3-3 SEC) will enter Tuesday's matchup coming off a series win versus No. 18 Missouri over the weekend. Tennessee took two of three games from the nationally-ranked Tigers in Knoxville, improving the Lady Vols' record at home to 9-2.

No. 15 Tennessee boasts the nation's sixth-ranked scoring offense, averaging nearly eight runs per contest. All but one starter for the Lady Vols is hitting better than .300 this season, including sophomore Taylor Koenig, who leads the team with 11 home runs and 36 RBI.

Junior righthander Erin Gabriel leads the Lady Vols with a 10-3 record on the mound, and has maintained an ERA of 2.50 in 16 pitching appearances, including 12 starts.

Morehead State

The Morehead State Eagles (9-13, 1-3 OVC) have lost three of their past four contests, dropping a doubleheader to SIU Edwardsville before splitting a doubleheader versus Eastern Illinois.

Freshman righthander Mackenzie Grossman has pitched in 17 of the Eagles' 22 games this season, accumulating a 5-4 record and 2.71 ERA

ETSU and Morehead State previously met this season, with the Bucs earning a 10-1 win Feb. 28 in Savannah, Ga.

BY THE NUMBERS

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