Sunday, April 10, 2005

(April 10, 2005) -  The Lady Bucs softball squad completed the series sweep over Appalachian State this afternoon with a 3-2 win at Metro Kiwanis Park.  ETSU evens their season record at 20-20 overall, while the win betters their Southern Conference record to 6-3 for the year.  ASU falls to 14-27, 1-11 SoCon thus far in 2005 with the loss.  Dani Spetar (Knoxville, Tenn.) continued her hot streak as she posted two hits and one run on the afternoon, while Bucs pitcher Courtney Jenkins (Knoxville, Tenn.) recorded her 11^th win of 2005.

ASU struck early when in the top of the first inning, after two hit batsmen, the Mountaineers managed to send one run home after a Lady Bucs wild pitch.  ETSU closed the inning however down just 1-0.  The Bucs found offensive momentum in the bottom of the second inning when ETSU's Stephanie Gaynord (Manassas, Va.) led off the inning with a single to right field.  A Jessica Longsinger (Dale City, Va.) single and Amanda Haverman (Kirkwood, Mo.) sacrifice fly sent Gaynord home scoring the Bucs' first run of the day.

With Lonsinger on third after the sacrifice, Lady Bucs right fielder Briana Knight (Brier, Wa.) sent a sacrifice fly into deep right field scoring Lonsinger as ETSU took the 2-1 upperhand.  The Bucs added another run in the bottom of the fifth inning when third baseman Lindsay Lane (Erwin, Tenn.) smashed a two-out triple into the center field fence sending Spetar home from second for the eventual winning run of the afternoon.

Although ASU added one run in the top of the sixth inning as Kristyn Hurt managed a double into the left field fence sending home Mountaineer third baseman Lindsay Glover nearing the ETSU lead at 3-2.  The Bucs defense closed out the inning as Lonsinger caught pinch runner Dawn Malone attempting to steal second and Kasey Motsinger grounded out to third ending the ASU threat. 

Lady Bucs relief pitcher Brittney Lehrschall (Leland, N.C.) held the ASU bats silent in the top of the seventh as she retired the side in order capturing her third save of the year as ETSU took the 3-2 conference victory.

Janine Sprague (Hillsborough, N.C.), Lane, Gaynord, Lonsinger, pinch hitter Stephanie Cope (Maryville, Tenn.), and Melissa McCall (Kingsport, Tenn.) each added one hit for the Bucs, while Jenkins allowed just six hits and two runs in six innings pitched this afternoon.  Leading the way for ASU was Glover with two hits and one run for the day.

ETSU returns to action next weekend, April 16^th and 17^th when they travel to Elon, N.C. to face the Phoenix for a three-game SoCon battle.  Competition begins with the Saturday afternoon doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m.