Friday, April 22, 2005

JOHNSON CITY, TENN. (April 22, 2005) - The Lady Bucs softball squad will host conference rival UTC this weekend at Metro Kiwanis Park in a crucial three-game series.  ETSU (24-25, 9-3 SoCon) enters weekend competition holding the third place position in league standings, while the Lady Mocs (40-16, 12-3 SoCon) are currently second in league standings.  The Bucs have won seven of their last eight match-ups, including six straight Southern Conference contests with sweeps over Appalachian State and Elon.  The Mocs most recently swept UNCG in a three-game SoCon series and captured victories versus Birmingham Southern in both games of the non-conference doubleheader.

The Bucs are led offensively by Janine Sprague (Hillsborough, N.C.) who enters the weekend with a team-best .340 batting average, adding 48 hits, including a team and league-high five triples.  Of late, senior Mary Beth Hazelwood (Knoxville, Tenn.) and sophomore Stephanie Gaynord (Manassas, Va.) have provided solid offensive performances for the Bucs, while Hazelwood adds 21 stolen bases for the year.

Courtney Jenkins (Knoxville, Tenn.) is enjoying her best year in a Buccaneer uniform from the pitching mound.  Her 2.01 earned run average and 13-12 record thus far in 2005 are among Southern Conference leaders.  Fellow hurler Belinda Barrera (Fayetteville, N.C.) is on record pace already posting 125 strikeouts in 26 appearances in 2005.  Freshman Brittney Lehrschall (Leland, N.C.) has a team-best three saves in 2005, while in 23 appearances she has allowed just 61 hits, 19 walks adding 25 strikeouts for the year. 

The Lady Bucs are led by fourth-year head coach Amy Fuller who will aim to capture ETSU's first-ever Southern Conference Championship title next month when the Bucs compete in Charleston, S.C. at the 2005 Southern Conference Championship Tournament.

This weekend's competition with the Lady Mocs begins Saturday with the conference doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m. from Metro Kiwanis Park.  Visit ETSUBucs.com for game recaps and updates.