The ETSU baseball team has fired out of the starting gate to open their season, quickly capturing two decisive victories versus the visiting Toledo Rockets.
The Buccaneers fended off Toledo on a chilly Valentine’s Day season opener, capturing the first of a three game split by the score of 6-2.
The Bucs senior starting pitcher Landon Knack (Johnson City, Tennessee) provided momentum for ETSU with a red-hot opening performance pitching five shutout innings with eleven strikeouts, while giving up only two hits. Knack held a no-hitter bid through four innings pitched before eventually giving up a double to open the fifth inning.
“[For Knack] to set the tone for the series like that is huge,” said head coach Joe Pennucci. “There’s no substitute for a guy that competes and throws strikes.”
The Buccaneers returned to the diamond for game two on Saturday afternoon with a 15-1 victory over the Rockets. The Bucs managed to control the hitting game with ease knocking twelve hits, but also displayed discipline by drawing seven walks in their second victory of the weekend.
The offensive explosion was led in large part by ETSU graduate right fielder Jake Madole (Hampstead, North Carolina) who finished the day 3-for-4 with three RBIs and one run. Sophomore starting pitcher Zack Kirby (Upland, California) earned the victory on Saturday giving up only one run in a strong five inning performance.
One notable early standout for the Bucs is senior shortstop Cade Gilbert (Ringgold, Georgia) who has opened the season compiling five hits and gathering a .625 batting average over the first two games.
The Buccaneers finished the series sweep with a thrilling 9–7 comeback victory in the bottom of the 9th Sunday. ETSU was down 7-4 entering the 9th.
The Bucs scored twice with one out to trim their deficit to one run before catcher Kyle Richardson crushed a three-run homer to finish the comeback.
Next, the Bucs will travel to Blacksburg, Virginia, to take on the Virginia Tech Hokies on Feb. 18.
