Bucs to play Samford in SoCon Championship first round Wed., May 6 in Chattanooga

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (May 3, 2015) - The ETSU softball team concluded regular-season play Sunday, with the Bucs falling to league opponent Mercer, 8-3, at Betty Basler Field in Johnson City. Despite the setback, ETSU won the three-game series, two games to one, after sweeping Saturday's doubleheader.

The Buccaneers (15-31, 3-15 SoCon) will begin play in the Southern Conference Softball Championship Wednesday, May 6 in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Mercer used a five-run second inning to get past the Bucs Sunday. Throughout the remaining five innings, the two teams were even, scoring three runs apiece.

In the Bears' (34-20, 10-7 SoCon) second inning, Caroline Taylor hit a two-run homer, and Taylor Miller belted a two-run triple. Natalie Shiver added a solo home run in the top of the third to extend Mercer's lead to 6-0.

ETSU responded in the third inning, scoring three times.

The Bucs began the inning with four consecutive singles by Casey Horner (Whitesburg, Tenn.), Latosha Rectenwald (Morristown, Tenn.), Kelsey Chernak (Ooltewah, Tenn.), and Nicole Fox (Peachtree City, Ga.).

ETSU's first run of the inning came as the result of a Mercer error. With the bases loaded and one out, Bethany Cowart (Ringgold, Tenn.) reached base safely on a fielding error by the Mercer shortstop, allowing Rectenwald to score from third.

The next batter, freshman Malloree Schurr (Montgomery, Texas) singled through the left side, plating Fox and Chernak and trimming the Bucs' deficit to 6-3.

Mercer would go on to score one run in the fourth, and another in the seventh, extending its lead to 8-3.

Madison Ogle (Maryville, Tenn.) allowed just one earned run in four-and-one-third innings of relief in the pitcher's circle for ETSU.

Prior to the game, the Bucs honored the playing careers and contributions of the members of the outgoing class of 2015: Alex Everett (Soddy Daisy, Tenn.), Fox, Horner, Whitney Leon (Dandridge, Tenn.), and Rectenwald.

To download a special ETSU Senior Poster, click here.

ETSU will now shift its focus to the upcoming Southern Conference Softball Championship, which will take place at Jim Frost field in Chattanooga, Tenn., Wednesday, May 6 through Saturday, May 9.

The seventh-seeded Bucs will take on second-seeded Samford Wednesday, May 6 at 12:30 p.m.

For more information on the SoCon tournament, click here.

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