Monday, September 22, 2008

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Sept. 22, 2008) - The ETSU softball team is beginning preparations for its second annual Blue/Gold Fall Tournament, which takes place this Saturday at Metro-Kiwanis Park.

The single day tournament will pin the Lady Bucs against three local teams, and every game for ETSU is to be played on field one. ETSU kicks off the tournament against King College at 10 a.m.

Following their game with the Tornado, the Lady Bucs will have no time to rest, as they take on Roane State at noon. ETSU closes out play versus Mars Hill at 6 p.m.

ETSU returns 11 players from last year's team that set single season records for wins (30) and stolen bases (95). Key Lady Buccaneer returners include a pair of talented juniors. Katy Jett (Talbott, Tenn.) led the 2008 squad in hitting (.347), hits (68), RBI (35) and slugging percentage (.464); while Marissa Hardy (Rocklin, Calif.) is the ace of head coach Andrea Mangrum's pitching staff. Hardy was dominant every time she took the circle and went on to break five Lady Buccaneer records last season. The Rocklin, Calif. native broke single-season marks in wins (19), IP (229.1), appearances (41), strikeouts (261) and also set the new single-game strikeout record with her 16 punch outs against Presbyterian in March. The reliable right-hander also ranked nationally in strikeouts per seven innings (45th, 8.0) and wins (58th).