The ETSU softball team snapped its six-game losing streak, defeating North Carolina A&T, 3-2 and 21-0 on Tuesday afternoon from Metro-Kiwanis Park in Johnson City.
Game one was a pitchers’ duel between the Bucs’ Tiffany Vandergriff and the Aggie’s Cheretta Stevenson.
All of the scoring in the first game came in the third inning.
The Aggies (7-25) scored two runs in the top of the inning to take a 2-0 lead. N.C. A&T first baseman Adrienne Shuler led off the stanza with a walk and scored on a double by Stephenson. Stephenson would then cross the plate on a double by third baseman Sibol Loftin.
The Bucs (16-22) responded quickly by scoring three runs of their own in the bottom of the inning.
Sophomore catcher Sheryl Clark led off the bottom of the third and, following a walk to senior Melanie Collins, scored on a single up the middle by sophomore first baseman Miranda Byerly.
The other two runs of the inning would come as a double by sophomore Rhea Moller scored Collins and the subsequent error scored Byerly.
Vandergriff (4-6) completed things for ETSU. The sophomore limited the Aggies to no runs and two hits over the final four innings.
She went the distance, allowing two earned runs on six hits, striking out five.
North Carolina A&T starter Stevenson (5-8) took the loss, allowing two earned runs on nine hits, striking out two.
The Bucs bats really came alive in game two.
ETSU exploded for 21 runs, breaking the team record and their 16 hits tied the team record set on April 21, 2001 against UNC Wilmington.
ETSU got to Aggie starter, Ebony Stevenson (0-4) early, scoring a run in the bottom of the first inning. Vandergriff doubled to lead off the inning and scored on a double by the next batter, freshman center fielder Danielle Spetar.
The Bucs blew open the game in the second inning, sending 18 batters to the plate and scoring 14 runs.
The big hit of the inning was a grand slam by Spetar. Holler and freshman outfielder Amy Moore also homered in the frame for ETSU.
The Bucs also got the benefit of seven walks in the inning.
ETSU freshman shortstop Mary Beth Hazelwood led off the bottom of the fourth with a single and advanced to third on an error. She scored on a sacrifice fly by Byerly to make the score 16-0.
The Bucs scored five more runs in the bottom of the fourth to provide the final margin of victory. Freshman outfielder Nikki Johnson scored Clark with a single to center. Johnson scored on a double by sophomore infielder Julia Chance.
Moore was the next batter and hit her second home run of the game.
The final run scored as freshman third baseman Lindsay Lane doubled, brining in Collins.
Every Buccaneer player that came to the plate had at least one hit. Clark had three doubles and Lane drove in a team-high six runs.
Freshman starter Courtney Jenkins (7-7) was almost flawless, pitching a complete game and striking out eight.

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