The ETSU softball team split a rainy doubleheader with College of Charleston, falling 10-8 in game one then winning 3-2 in game two, Saturday afternoon from Metro-Kiwanis Park in Johnson City.
Both team’s bats were hot early in game one, with the Cougars (13-19, 3-5 Southern Conference) putting five runs on the board in the top of the second and ETSU (14-16, 4-4 SoCon) responding with three runs of their own in the bottom of the inning.
College of Charleston hit five singles in the top of the second and took advantage of a few mistakes in the inning by the Bucs.
The biggest blow was the final single of the inning, by Beth Long, which brought in two runs making the score 5-0.
But the Bucs came right back, as freshman shortstop Mary Beth Hazelwood homered to left field to lead off the bottom of the second.
With two outs, the Bucs rallied to score two runs as freshman outfielder Amy Moore singled in freshman third baseman Lindsay Lane and sophomore outfielder Rhea Holler to cut the Cougar lead to 5-3.
ETSU then cut the Cougar lead to 6-5 in the bottom of the sixth, after sophomore infielder Julia Chance hit a single, and then scored on a double by Holler.
College of Charleston, however, took a commanding 10-5 lead after scoring four runs with two outs in the top of the seventh. The big blow of the inning was a double to right center by Lindsay Wyont that scored the final three College of Charleston runs.
The Bucs came back as Vandergriff led off the next inning with a homer to left field, making the score 10-6. With two outs, Chance then singled to centerfield, scoring Hazelwood and sophomore catcher Sheryl Clark. With the score 10-8, Holler lined out to shortstop to end the game.
Vandergriff went the distance for the Bucs, allowing 11 hits and six earned runs while striking out six.
Vandergriff was also one of the stars at the plate for the Bucs, as she was one of four ETSU players to record two hits on the game. Clark, Chance and Holler also had two hits each. Vandergriff and Hazelwood scored two runs each in game one, while Chance drove in two runs.
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The bats were much quieter in the second game, as the Bucs pulled out a late-inning victory, 3-2.
ETSU took the first advantage, 2-0, in the third inning.
Moore led off the bottom of the third with a homer over the left field fence. With two outs in the frame, Collins singled to centerfield, scoring freshman outfielder Danielle Spetar from second base.
College of Charleston chipped away at the Buccaneer lead, scoring a single run in the fifth, then tying the game with another run in the sixth.
The Bucs took the lead right back, as Spetar was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth, scoring Lane.
Jenkins (6-5) pitched a complete game, allowing six hits and two earned runs while striking out eight. Carla Shepherd (1-3) took the loss for College of Charleston, pitching three innings, giving up three hits and one earned run.
Collins, Hazelwood and Moore notched two hits each for the Bucs in game two.
With the win in game two, ETSU tied their win total from last year’s inaugural season.
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The Buccaneer softball team fell to College of Charleston, 8-5, on Sunday afternoon in the final game of the three-game series.
ETSU (14-17, 4-5 Southern Conference) opened up the scoring with a three run second inning.
Sophomore catcher Sheryl Clark doubled to right center and came home on a single by freshman third baseman Lindsay Lane with one out.
Later in the inning, sophomore left fielder Tiffany Vandergriff drove in freshman outfielder Amy Moore and senior second baseman April Arnold by hitting a triple to right field.
The Bucs increased their lead to 5-0 after scoring single runs in both the third and fourth innings.
Moore walked to lead off the Buccaneer half of the fourth inning. She advanced to second on a wild pitch, then came home on a one-out single to center field by freshman center fielder Danielle Spetar. The Bucs, with a 5-0 lead, looked in control of the game.
The Cougars collected six hits in the fifth inning, but their two biggest hits came with two outs. With designated player Chastity Sites and Lauren Rabun on base, catcher Katie Scott hit a double down the left field line to score both of the runners and give College of Charleston the lead, 6-5.
After the fifth inning, there was only one more hit in the game, as ETSU reliever Marsha Giles cooled off the Cougars and College of Charleston reliever Carla Shepherd shut down the Bucs.
Giles (5-7) picked up the loss, allowing three earned runs and four hits in 2.2 innings of work. Buccaneer starter Courtney Jenkins allowed five earned runs on seven hits on the mound.
The Lady Bucs play today at Metro Kiwanis Park against Tennessee Tech at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.

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