Bucs to honor outgoing senior class prior to Sunday's 12pm start

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (May 1, 2015) - Fresh off a 14-13 victory versus App State, the ETSU softball team will welcome league opponent Mercer to Betty Basler Field this weekend for a three-game series. The games will serve as the Bucs' final regular-season contests of the season.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

Saturday, May 2

1:00 p.m. vs. Mercer | LIVE STATS

3:00 p.m. vs. Mercer | LIVE STATS

Sunday, May 3

12:00 p.m. vs. Mercer | LIVE STATS

SENIOR DAY

Prior to Sunday's series finale, ETSU will recognize the contributions of its five outgoing seniors: Alex Everett (Soddy Daisy, Tenn.), Nicole Fox (Peachtree City, Ga.), Casey Horner (Whitesburg, Tenn.), Whitney Leon (Dandridge, Tenn.), and Latosha Rectenwald (Morristown, Tenn.).

GETTING UP TO SPEED

• The Buccaneers (13-30, 1-14 SoCon) manufactured 14 runs in their most recent win versus Appalachian State, the team's highest scoring output since a March 15 victory over Eastern Michigan.

• Five players notched multi-hit games in the 14-13 victory versus App State, including freshman Kelsey Smith (Tucson, Ariz.), who batted 3-for-5 with two RBI and two runs.

• Smith, who earned the win in the pitcher's circle versus App State, is leading the SoCon for home runs per game (0.30) and ranks third in runs batted in per game (1.03).

• Three ETSU players are batting better than .300 in Southern Conference play: Jenine Duncan (Jonesborough, Tenn.), Malloree Schurr (Montgomery, Texas), and Cassie Pickett (Chattanooga, Tenn.).

• In league play, Duncan is hitting a team-best .471, while Schurr has posted a .414 mark.

• Duncan and Fox rank second and fifth in the SoCon, respectively, for stolen bases per game (0.45 and 0.35).

OPPONENT AT A GLANCE

• Mercer ranks second in the SoCon in scoring offense (5.69) and third in batting average (.308).

• The Bears (33-18, 9-5 SoCon) lead the Southern Conference in triples per game (0.29) and rank 19th in the nation for the category.

• Sophomore pitcher Kirsten Stewart has accounted for 22 of Mercer's 33 wins. One of just 32 pitchers in the nation to record more than 20 wins, she ranks second in the SoCon for strikeouts per seven innings (6.9).

• Senior Riley Carter, the second toughest player to strike out in the SoCon (one strikeout per 17.8 at bats), leads the league in runs batted in with 57.

• Freshman Meghan Rud and sophomore Taylor Miller rank first and third in the Southern Conference, respectively, for runs per game (0.96 and 0.88) and stolen bases per game (0.57 and (0.39). Miller leads the Bears with a .414 batting average, the second-highest mark in the league.

BY THE NUMBERS

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