Bucs drop pair of Power-5 games

COLUMBIA, S.C. (April 8, 2022) – ETSU Softball suffered another doubleheader setback on Friday, dropping a pair of decisions to Power-5 opponents N.C. State and South Carolina. With the losses, the Buccaneers fall to 5-32 on the campaign.   

Game 1: N.C. State 4, ETSU 0
The Bucs outhit the Wolfpack in game one of the Garnett and Black Round Robin. However, N.C. State won where it mattered most, the scoreboard. The Wolfpack scored the first run of the game in the top of the first inning after an errant throw on a stolen base and then a wild pitch.

Peyton Coleman (Alberta, Va.) picked up the first hit of the ball game for either side in the bottom of the third, the first of four hits for ETSU.

N.C. State tallied its only hit in the top of the fourth inning but it was a big one, a three-run blast by Libby Whittaker to left center for the 4-0 lead.

ETSU had two chances to cut into the deficit, once in the fifth inning with a runner on third and nobody out and the final chance in the seventh inning with two runners on and nobody down. Unfortunately, ETSU was unable to muster the offense needed to bring home a run.

Pitchers of Record
» Win: Maddie McPherson (9-5)
» Loss: Whitley Arnott (0-11)

Notables
» The Bucs outhit N.C. State 4-1 in the opening game but could not crack the scoreboard.  
» Whitley Arnott (China Grove, N.C.) picked up the loss after allowing four runs (three earned) in 4.0 innings.
» The Bucs saw a good game in relief from MacKenzie Dyson (Hanahan, S.C.), pitching 3.0 innings and striking out one batter, while surrendering zero hits.
» ETSU batted 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position in the opening game.
» The Bucs dropped the first-ever meeting against the Wolfpack.

Game 2: South Carolina 8, ETSU 0 (6 innings)
Game two was scoreless through the first two innings of action, with a defensive highlight from the Bucs in the second inning to keep the Gamecocks off the board. After a leadoff triple in the bottom of the second, Cameron Young (Knoxville, Tenn.) made a heads up play on the ensuing batter, surrendering the runner to first to make the play at the plate.

South Carolina broke through in the bottom of the third frame with one swing of the bat, a grand slam by Katie Prebble, providing the Gamecocks with a 4-0 advantage. That score would remain until the bottom of the sixth inning when Prebble launched another long ball, this time a two-run shot. South Carolina ended the game with a walk-off, run-rule single through the right side of the infield to claim the 8-0 win in six innings.

Pitchers of Record
» Win: Leah Powell (4-3)
» Loss: Allison Farr (3-9)

Notables
» Carolina Davis (Englewood, Tenn.) and Nayadley were responsible for ETSU’s two hits.
» ETSU is now 0-5 all-time against the Gamecocks following the loss.
» With the pair of losses, ETSU has now dropped 10 consecutive games and now falls to 5-32.

Record Update
» ETSU: 5-32
» N.C. State: 27-13
» South Carolina: 21-17

Up Next
ETSU will close out the Garnett and Black Round Robin tomorrow with another doubleheader against the Wolfpack and Gamecocks. The Bucs will take on N.C. State at noon, immediately followed by South Carolina.

For more information on Buccaneer softball, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the softball link.