The ETSU Bucs baseball team took on the No. 9 nationally ranked Tennessee Volunteers, falling 16-0, at Lindsey Nelson Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee.
The Bucs came off a three-game win-streak against the Lafayette College Leopards over the weekend, outscoring the Leopards a combined 55 to 15.
After the impressive display of batting, the Bucs’ plan was to bring the momentum against the Vols, on the first road game of the season. Throughout the first two innings, the Bucs kept things tame, only allowing one unearned run by the Vols.
Despite only being down 1-0, the Vols were able to swing things open. Starting in the bottom of the third inning, the Vols captured 11 runs on 10 hits. After the disastrous performance early on, the Bucs were able to hold the Vols to only four more total runs throughout the next three and a half innings of play.
Even with improved play down the stretch, ETSU had already felt the sting and was unable to get things rolling in the batters box. Only managing to garnish one hit in six and a half innings. Down an embarrassing 16-0, the game was ultimately called in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Only a handful of Buccaneers were able to see action, starting with redshirt sophomore, LHP Derek McCarley (Seymour, Tenn.), who allowed eight runs, seven of which were earned, on six hits in 2.2 innings pitched.
Shortly falling in the fifth, RHP Owen Kovacs (Knoxville, Tenn.) captured a scoreless inning for the Buccaneers. Additionally, outfielder Nick Iannantone (Plainfield, Ill.) was able to keep his impressive 16 game hitting streak alive, reaching base for the Bucs early on.
Even in this early season setback, Buccaneer baseball returns home to Johnson City with a tied for second-best record in the SoCon at 3-1 overall. The lessons learned in this loss to the Vols will only fuel the Bucs hunger for excellence against the Rider Broncos of the MAAC Conference for a three-game home stand starting on Feb. 23 at 3 p.m. inside Thomas Stadium in Johnson City, Tennessee.
For more information about Buccaneer baseball, visit ETSUBucs.com.
