Bucs defeat Penn 5-1 and 7-3 on Sunday 

RALEIGH, N.C. (Feb 26, 2023) – After a 20-hour delay between innings, the ETSU softball team finished Saturday’s suspended game to defeat Penn 5-1, on Sunday morning in the final day of the Wolfpack Classic. Following the win, ETSU matched the result, knocking off Penn in game two, 7-3.

Winning back-to-back games, the Bucs head into Tuesday’s home opener against Appalachian State winning three of the last four games.

RECORDS

ETSU (3-11)

Pennsylvania (0-5)

NOTABLES

• ETSU loaded the bases in the first and second innings, producing six hits in the first two frames of game one.
• In game two, Riley Nayadley (Ooltewah, Tenn.) and MaKayla Strickland (Ooltewah, Tenn.) each belted solo homers in the top of the sixth inning.
• As a team, the Bucs record a season-high 17 hits in the 7-3 victory in game two.
• ETSU scored in five straight innings (third thru the seventh) for the first time all season in game two against Penn. The Bucs plated solo runs across in the third, fifth and seventh innings, while scoring two runs each in the fourth and sixth frames.
• A season-high five different Bucs recorded an RBI in game two. Nayadley and Sara Muir (Sequatchie, Tenn.) combined to go 8-for-10 with four RBI in the game two win. Both Bucs registered four-hit games.

PENN GAME ONE RECAP

After opening the bottom of the first with two quick fly outs, the Bucs did some two-out damage by scoring a run to go up, 1-0. Sara Muir and Cameron Young (Knoxville, Tenn.) got on base with back-to-back singles, while Makenzie Henderson (Knoxville, Tenn.) and Kaylee Higgins (Chatsworth, Ga.) both worked walks to scratch across the first run of the game.

In the second inning, with runners on the corners, Muir recorded her second single of the afternoon, to score Kemiah Michel (Gallatin, Tenn.) from third, making it a 2-0 score in favor of the Blue & Gold. Michel reached on a single down the right field line, stole second and moved to third on a fielder’s choice.

After Penn earned a run in its half of the third inning, the Bucs answered in the bottom of the fourth inning, plating a pair of runs to make it 4-1. of sac hits to score a pair of runs. Jasmine Sanchez (Buford, Ga.) – who led off the inning via a walk and moved to third on a double by Michel – sprinted home on a sac fly RBI by Young. Michel later scored on an RBI ground out by Naydley.   

From there, the rain came and suspended play for 20 hours. The game resumed play at the top of the fifth inning Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m.

In the sixth inning, Michel reached on an error and crossed home plate after stealing second and reaching third and home in a pair of wild pitches to give the Bucs the eventual 5-1 score line.

Brianna Bailey (Wewahitchka, Fla.), who pitched the shutout Thursday night in the win over NC State, picked up her second winning decision as she went the distance, allowing one unearned run and striking out seven.

PENN GAME TWO RECAP

ETSU fell behind by a run early, but then the offense came to life by scoring the seven runs between the third thru seventh innings to secure the four-run victory, 7-3.

Penn used three consecutive singles to score its first, but with two outs and runners on first and second, Taylor Suchy (Sterling, Va.) got out of trouble by inducing an inning-ending fielder’s choice to third and getting a strikeout looking, keeping it a 1-0 score.

ETSU got the train rolling to open the third inning as the trio of Muir and Nayadley led off with back-to-back singles and Henderson tied the game at 1-1 thanks to her singlel up the middle bringing home Muir.

The Bucs then took the lead in the fourth, when a pair of RBI singles by Muir and Nayadley scored a pair of runs, giving the Bucs a 3-1 advantage. An inning later, Young recorded her fourth double and second RBI of the season to help Kasidy Dunn (Friendsville, Tenn.) reach home as she singled to left field earlier in the inning.

Penn answered with a run in the bottom half of the fifth, but the Bucs answered back in the top of the sixth with the two solo home runs, making it 6-2. To open the sixth, Nayadley smashed her third career homer over the left field wall, while two outs later, Strickland belted her first collegiate home run over the left field wall.

Adding some insurance in the seventh, Nayadley recorded her season-high fourth hit of the day, which happened to be an RBI, her third of the afternoon. In the bottom half, Penn added a run but Bailey got Penn’s final batter out swinging to end the game and leaving the bases loaded.

PITCHERS OF RECORD

Pennsylvania: Bella Fiorentino (0-2) – loss. | (Sun) Kelly Zybura (0-3) – loss.

ETSU: Brianna Bailey (2-3) – win (Saturday) | Suchy (3-3) – win (Sunday)

UP NEXT

ETSU will play their home opener against Appalachian State on Tuesday at 4 p.m. at Betty Basler Field.

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