The ETSU Softball team traveled to Statesboro, Georgia, to kick off their spring season in the Bash in the Boro Tournament but have stumbled out of the starting gate, quickly finding themselves in a hole with an 0-3 overall record.
Inclement weather played a significant role throughout Friday afternoon. The ETSU vs. Rutgers opening game was shuffled to a 6 p.m. start, and the Bucs’ first match against Georgia Southern was cancelled altogether on Friday night.
While the first of their two games vs. the Scarlet Knights eventually managed to get underway, the Bucs couldn’t quite shake off the rust as they gave up four errors on the night, eventually falling to the Scarlet Knights by a score of 6-3.
Rutgers scored five runs in the top of the 5th, initially capitalizing on a Buccaneer throwing error.
The Bucs opened the Saturday doubleheader first against Army West Point. Early on, offense was hard to come by for either side, as the score remained 1-1 through four innings played. However, West Point found its offensive mojo in the bottom of the 5th inning, climbing back from a 3-1 deficit with a decisive six run inning, from which the Buccaneers would not manage to recover.
ETSU right fielder and junior Kelly Warren (Mechanicsville, Virginia) had a stellar individual offensive performance vs. Army, compiling three hits, one run, one RBI and also drawing a walk, but it would prove to not be enough against the stalwart Black Knights.
In their third game of the weekend, the Bucs finally faced off against the hometown-favorite Georgia Southern Eagles, and much to the delight of the crowd of 232, the Eagles opened with a red hot first inning, quickly compiling five runs, a deficit that the Buccaneers could not climb back from.
There is certainly a bright spot in the heart of the Buccaneers’ offense, as Kelly Warren once again provided some serious offensive spark. She knocked for four hits and one run against Georgia Southern, in addition to her three hit game against Army West Point, giving her an 8-for-10 on the tournament.
The Bucs did manage to clean up some of their defensive mistakes, having committed no errors in their lone match against Georgia Southern.
The ETSU softball team were set to take on Rutgers in a 9 a.m. rematch on Sunday to close their chapter in this year’s Bash of the Boro Tournament. The Bucs will play their next five games on Valentine’s Day weekend in Jacksonville, Florida.
