After having to reschedule their first game that was to be played on Friday, Feb. 13, the Lady Bucs softball team (2-0) finally got their chance at Mars Hill (2-7).
The 1 p.m. game against the Lions was played at Metro-Kiwanis Park Wed. The double header was won by ETSU, 12-0, 8-1, respectively.
The first game turned out to be successful for the Lady Bucs as they shut out Mars Hill 12-0 in only five innings.
Pitcher Belinda Barrera, a sophomore, earned the win by striking out five Lions’ players. The Lady Bucs scored seven runs in the second inning and five in the fourth to clench the win.
Senior Miranda Byerly went 3-for-3, while several other players went 2-for-3 to advance the Lady Bucs.
East Tennessee ran in 12 of their 16 hits, while Mars Hill went 0-for-3 out of 18 attempts. Lyn Loomis recorded the loss for the Lions.
“I am very pleased with how the girls played,” head coach Amy Fuller said. “We hit the ball extremely well.”
The second match-up between these two teams was not as heavy hitting. The Lions came out in the first inning seeking revenge.
Mars Hill was the first to score off an Audrey Riffel double to drive in Tessa Ashwell.
This lead would not stay around for long.
The Lady Bucs came back in the first inning determined not to lose on their own turf.
ETSU scored four times in the first inning to lead the game 4-1. The second half also seemed to go in favor of the Bucs, adding another run. Senior Mary Beth Hazelwood tallied a home run in the fourth inning.
It was all Buccaneers after that.
The Lady Bucs defeated the Lions for the second time, 8-1. ETSU had 8 of their 12 hits score, while Mars Hill only tallied 1 for 4.
ETSU had multiple players with hits including sophomore Jeanine Sprague who went 3-for-4 and Hazelwood who went 2-for-3.
The Lions had three players with one hit each. Tessa Ashwell, Audrey Riffel, and Jessica Valentine all went 1-for-3 with Ashwell being the lone scorer.
“We gave it our best effort,” Fuller said.
“I really can’t touch on anything on the field that was bad. The girls played good. Defense was good.
“We didn’t bunt much, and didn’t play a lot of short game,” she said.

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