Young’s two-run blast lifts Bucs to a 6-3 win

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (March 14, 2023) – On a cold Tuesday afternoon at Betty Basler Field, the ETSU softball team overcame a game one loss and a three-run deficit in game two with six unanswered runs to win 6-3 over Morehead State in the nightcap.

Bouncing the ball off the scoreboard with her first collegiate home run, Cameron Young (Knoxville, Tenn.) helped ETSU improve to a 5-16 overall record. Prior to the two-run homer, the go-ahead run for ETSU crossed on a sacrifice fly by Jasmine Sanchez (Buford, Ga.).

Morehead State moved to 6-9 overall today, winning game one, 7-2.

RECORDS

ETSU (5-17)

Morehead State (6-9)

NOTABLES

• Young finished game one 2-for-3, adding an RBI – her sixth of the year.
• In game two, Young hit her first collegiate home run in the bottom of the sixth inning.
• Riley Nayadley (Ooltewah, Tenn.) extended her hit streak seven, with a hit in each game.
• Brianna Bailey (Wewahitchka, Fla.) pitched her way to her fourth complete-game and fourth win of the season in game two.
• With a pair of hits in game two, Emily Musco (Knoxville, Tenn.) recorded her first collegiate multi-hit game.

GAME ONE RECAP

Starting out game one hot, ETSU opened the game with a trio of singles in the two through four holes. Extending her hit streak to six consecutive games, Nayadley singled to center field as Young crossed home plate to score the first run of the day.

After two scoreless frames, the visiting Eagles blew open the lead in the top of the fourth with a homer by Emily Williams and two-RBI blast by Taikibrea Campbell to give Morehead State the 4-1 lead. In the fifth inning, the Eagles scored an additional run with an RBI by Williams to grow the lead. After stealing her ninth bag of the year, Kemiah Michel (Gallatin, Tenn.) stood at second and crossed home with the help of an RBI single to center field by Young to answer in the home half of the inning.

Adding a pair of insurance runs, Morehead State used three passed balls to advance their runners and score the final run of the game with an RBI single by Erin Boyle. Closing the game in a three up, three down situation, Morehead State took game one, 7-2.

GAME TWO RECAP

Trinity Spear started game two swinging, after recording a double to start the three-run frame for the visiting squad. In the next three at bats, the Eagles used a single, double and an RBI ground out to put three early runs on the board.

After two hitless innings for ETSU, the Bucs answered in the third inning with a trio of hits. With a runner on base, Young found her way to first with a single. An out later, Sara Muir (Sequatchie, Tenn.) hit her 12th RBI of the year as she scored Kasidy Dunn (Friendsville, Tenn.) who reached after being walked. In the next at bat, Faith Adams (Henrico, Va.) hit an RBI single to left field to cut into the lead. The Bucs scored their third run of the frame as Kaylee Higgins (Chatsworth, Ga.) grounded out but not before adding a run to the board.

Starting the magic for ETSU, Makala Strickland (Ooltewah, Tenn.) hit her second double of the year on the seventh pitch she saw. Musco continued the magic with her second hit of the afternoon, to help advance Strickland to third. Although she filed out, Jasmine Sanchez (Buford, Ga.) recorded her fifth RBI of the year to give ETSU a 4-3 advantage. With one runner on after a field’s choice by the Eagles defense, Young smacked her first collegiate home run on the scoreboard to make it a three-run game.

Pitching her fourth complete game of the year, Bailey struck out a pair of batters in the final inning to put the Bucs back into the win column.

PITCHERS OF RECORD

ETSU: Whitley Arnott (0-3) – loss. | Game two: Brianna Bailey (4-4) – win.

Morehead State: Madi Ogden (5-3) – win. | Game two: Jessie Begley (2-2) – loss.

UP NEXT

ETSU will begin a three-game series on Friday as Eastern Illinois comes to town, with first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m. at Betty Basler Field.

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