Tuesday, October 20, 2009

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Oct. 20, 2009) - The ETSU softball team wrapped up its fall tournament on a high note on Saturday afternoon, as the Lady Bucs braved the cool, damp weather conditions at the ETSU Softball Complex by sweeping away the field of competition.

The Lady Bucs began the day with a 10-1 victory over Virginia Intermont (five innings), and returned to action with back-to-back wins over Roane State and Lincoln Memorial in the evening. ETSU downed Roane State 10-1 (five innings) and closed out play with a 5-4 win over Lincoln Memorial.

With the sweep, ETSU finished its fall season with a 6-1 mark, while outscoring the competition 44-13 in those six victories.

ETSU vs. Virginia Intermont Recap

ETSU scored six runs in the third and three more in the fourth, as the Lady Bucs cruised to a 10-1 victory over Virginia Intermont in the first game on Saturday morning.

Seniors Cheniece Cason (Moreno Valley, Calif.), Katy Jett (Talbott, Tenn.) and Trisha Massenzo (Russellville, Tenn.), along with junior Katie Henderson (Jackson, Tenn.) combined to go 8-for-10 with a triple, home run, and eight runs scored. In total, eight Lady Buccaneer batters recorded a hit.

The Lady Bucs struck first to grab an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, when Massenzo's triple to right-center scored Cason from second. Cason led off the game with a single and stole second. 

After being sent down in order an inning later, ETSU responded nicely in the bottom half of the third, as the Lady Bucs hit around in the order and extended their lead to 7-0. Cason, Jett, Massenzo, Henderson, Annie Martin (Centerville, Tenn.) and Lucy Schneider (Dade City, Fla.) all crossed the dish in the inning; while it was Jett's one-out rope single up the middle that began the scoring as it plated Cason and Schneider.

Once again Jett's hot bat began the fun in the fourth, as she led off the frame with a solo shot over the fence in left-center - putting the Lady Bucs up 8-1. Massenzo and Henderson both blasted singles later in the inning, and came around to touch the dish to make it 10-1.

Senior Marissa Hardy (Rocklin, Calif.) tossed three perfect innings to earn her second win of the fall season. Hardy was flawless as she struck out six of the nine Virginia Intermont hitters she faced.

ETSU vs. Roane State Recap

Once again solid hitting and strong pitching was the formula for a perfect equation in game two, as the Lady Bucs blasted Roane State, 10-1, in their second game on Saturday.

Junior newcomer Jessica Duncan (Ooltewah, Tenn.) tossed four shutout innings and was given plenty of support, as ETSU scored seven runs in the second and three more in the fourth inning. Duncan opened the game by striking out seven consecutive hitters (nine total) and scattered two hits.

Eight of the 12 hitters ETSU sent to the plate in the second inning came away with hits, and the Lady Bucs were fueled by another clutch Trisha Massenzo triple - marking her second three-bagger of the day. Massenzo was the seventh and final runner to score in the frame when she came home on Katie Henderson's RBI single - giving ETSU the 7-0 advantage.

The first three Lady Buccaneer hitters reached base to begin the fourth, with Lucy Schneider adding to the lead when she connected on her second round-tripper of the fall. After Schneider's solo blast, Katy Jett worked a walk and advanced into scoring position on Massenzo's single. Both Jett and Massenzo later scored to put ETSU up, 10-0.

Roane State pushed its lone run across the plate in the fifth, but sophomore right-hander Shelby Morris (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.) worked out of the jam by striking out the final batter she faced to end the game.

ETSU vs. Lincoln Memorial

After posting two lop-sided victories earlier in the day, ETSU was in for a nail biter in the final game, but the Lady Bucs pulled through with a 5-4 victory over Lincoln Memorial in the nightcap.

Both pitchers were dealing through the first three and a half innings, but ETSU snapped a scoreless game by plating four runs in the fourth to take a 4-0 lead.

Unfortunately, Lincoln Memorial came back with a solo shot in the fifth and a three-run homer in the seventh to even the game at four.

The Lady Bucs managed to catch a break in the bottom half of the seventh, as Lucy Schneider worked a two-out walk and came around to score the game-winning run after Katy Jett reached on a throwing error to end the game, 5-4.

Marissa Hardy started the contest and tossed four scoreless innings. The Rocklin, Calif. native struck out seven and issued only one hit. Shelby Morris entered in relief and picked up the win despite allowing the two home runs.

The Lady Bucs will hold an open scrimmage with Milligan on Wednesday afternoon at 5 p.m. before closing out fall play with the annual ETSU Blue/Gold game on Saturday afternoon.

For more information on Lady Buccaneer softball, visit www.ETSUBucs.com.