This past weekend, the ETSU softball team would hit the mound against in conference foe, the Furman Paladins. A traditional rivalry expanding across University athletics would be dealt in a best two-out-of-three series. Playing host to all three games at Betty Basler Field, Bucs softball would earn only one victory in a full game with a score 1-0. With the one win, the Bucs would fall short in the other two match ups, falling in scores of 6-4, and 7-1.
Coming into the game, Buccaneer softball would come in fighting for survival. Playing at home with an overall record of 12-20, second year head coach Cheryl Milligan would lead her team into battle. Taking over in only her second full season at the helm, the rebuilding Bucs would come up to the challenge. While the results were below desire for ETSU faithfuls, lessons can still be learned as the advancing season of in-conference play continues.
In the lone win against the Paladins, senior, Riley Nayadley (Chattanooga, Tenn.) would see three at bats, capturing one hit in the win against Furman. On the pitching mound, junior Marissa Barnes (Vernon, Fla.) would average an S-ERA of 3.74 in the win. As the game went on, the Bucs and Paladins would play host to still defense for over five-innings of play. Tied at no runs each, the first and only run, landing in favor the home-team Buccaneers would not come until the bottom of the sixith innning. Per NCAA rules, the home team, if leading does not play a bottom seventh inning, resulting in a strong and last minute top of the seventh stretch to secure the win.
As the Buccaneers rebuild, the competition stiffens as the in-conference grind continues. For more information on ETSU Softball, please visit ETSUBucs.com.
