Friday, February 27, 2009

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (Feb. 27, 2009) - Fresh off its three-run win over Boston College a few hours earlier, the ETSU softball team capped off the day one sweep at the Frost Classic after scoring three runs in the top of the seventh, and freshman Marlina Delisa's (Tucson, Ariz.) one-out single proved to be the game-winning hit as it plated Trisha Massenzo (Russellville, Tenn.), giving the Lady Bucs a 5-4 win over Toledo from Warner Park.

The Lady Bucs knocked out 10 hits on the day and junior right-hander Darci Gilbert (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) held on to win her second straight decision. Gilbert (3-1) tossed a complete game and issued four runs (two earned) on eight hits while punching out four Toledo Hitters.

ETSU, who is off to its best start in school history, has now won five straight and moved its record to 8-3 on the year. The Rockets dropped to 0-2 on the season.

Gilbert held Toledo to only two hits through the first three innings, but the Rockets attacked first with a run in the bottom of the fourth. A leadoff walk to Mica Sanchez proved to haunt Gilbert and the Lady Bucs, as she came in to touch the plate on an error by Annie Martin (Centerville, Tenn.) in left.

The Lady Bucs didn't trail for long, as they scored two runs on three hits in the top of the fifth.

Junior Cheniece Cason (Moreno Valley, Calif.) got things rolling with a one-out single through the left-side and quickly advanced to third on Katy Jett's (Talbott, Tenn.) single up the middle. Then, ETSU got creative on the base path, as head coach Andrea Mangrum called for the double steal and Cason and Jett executed it with perfection. Jett stole second and Cason scored the Lady Bucs' first run as she stole home - evening the game at one. After the risky call, senior Kate Powell (Johnson City) recorded ETSU's first triple of the season, and the Lady Bucs took their first lead of the game, 2-1.

The game remained 2-1 in the favor of ETSU until the Lady Bucs extended their lead to four, 5-1, by scoring three runs in the seventh.

ETSU put its first two runners on board to start the seventh thanks to Jett leading off with a walk and Powell singled to center. Both speedsters advanced to second and third on Amy Campbell's (Hixson, Tenn.) sac-bunt. Then, with one out and runners in scoring position, Massenzo cleared the bags with a two-run scoring double to left-center. After Massenzo moved over to third on a passed ball, Delisa came through with her game-winning single through the left-side, giving ETSU a 5-1 lead.

However, Toledo made things interesting with a three-run bottom of the seventh, but Gilbert left a Rocket stranded at second when she forced Lacey Levier to ground out to short. The Rockets scored their first two runs of the frame on Andrea Wabol's double to left-center and Wabol came around to make it a 5-4 game after Brie Ford reach on an error by Jett at second. Fortunately, Gilbert worked out of the wild inning and left Ford standing on second.

Delisa moved her hitting streak up to five straight after going 1-for-4 with an RBI. Massenzo finished the game with one hit and drove in two runs, while Jessie Hackworth (Clinton, Tenn.) and Cason each posted two hits.

Toledo's Whitney Young was dealt the loss after allowing five runs on 10 hits (7.0 IP).

ETSU returns to play at the Frost Classic on Saturday afternoon when the Lady Bucs take on Morehead State at 12:30 p.m.  

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