A cold season opener did not freeze the bats on opening day for ETSU baseball. The Bucs opened their season on Feb. 17 against the Toledo Rockets and an offensive outburst resulted in a 15-2 victory to give them their first win of the new season. ETSU moves to 6-0 in season openers under head coach Joe Pennucci. The 15 runs are the most in an ETSU season opener since 2017.
Landon Smiddy (Knoxville, Tenn) got the nod to be the opening day starting pitcher for the Bucs. Smiddy threw for 4.1 innings, while being on a limited pitch count. He gave up two earned runs and struck out three batters while also recording the win.
After a solo homer by Toledo’s Caden Konczak in the second inning, the game was tied 2-2. Then, the Bucs unloaded for 13 unanswered runs. Cameron Sisneros (Littleton, Colo) beat the shift as he hit a ball right down the third base line scoring one to regain the lead at 3-2. Scoring runs in all but two innings, each Buccaneer starter had at least one hit, with seven having multi-hit days. ETSU, as a team had 17 total hits.
Preseason All-Conference First Team selection Tommy Barth (Brecksville, Ohio) had two hits and three RBI’s. Ryan Enos (Oriskany, N.Y.) made his ETSU debut and also had two hits and three RBI’s while tacking on two doubles. Another Buc making his debut was designated hitter Nick Iannantone (Plainfield, Ill). He finished the day going 2-2 with two walks, a double and a triple, reaching base in all four plate appearances.
Fifth-year senior Colby Stuart (Elon, N.C.) comes in for relief and pitches 3.2 scoreless innings while only allowing two hits. Freshman Derek McCarley (Seymour, Tenn.) closed out the game in the ninth with a scoreless inning to end the game.
Toledo rebounded for a 6-4 victory Saturday, but ETSU won 3-2 on Sunday to win the opening series.
ETSU will travel to Blacksburg on Feb. 21 to play Virginia Tech. First pitch is set for 1:30 p.m.
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