KENNESAW, Ga. (Feb. 16, 2024) – The ETSU softball team picked up a split on the opening day of the Kennesaw State Tournament on Friday. After falling to ACC foe Pittsburgh 6-2 in the opener, the Buccaneers powered their way past the host Owls with a 9-6 victory in the nightcap from Bailey Park. 
 
With the split, ETSU secured its first win of the season as the Bucs moved to 1-6 on the year, while the Blue & Gold earned their first victory over the Owls in Kennesaw since 2014. 
 
In the game against the Owls, newcomer and local standout Brylee Mesusan tied the program single-game record with stolen bases – becoming the sixth Buccaneer to accomplish the feat. 
 
ETSU at Kennesaw State Recap
Sara Muir gave the Blue & Gold 5.2 solid innings in the circle, while the Bucs' bats came alive in the middle innings as ETSU powered its way past Kennesaw State, 9-6.
 
Seven players accounted for the Bucs' 11 hits, while ETSU scored eight runs between the fourth-thru-sixth innings en route to rallying for the win. 
 
To go with her three stolen bases, Brylee Mesusan was stellar yet again in the lead-off spot. The Johnson City native went 2-for-4 with a walk and three runs scored, while freshman Gracen Hinson put ETSU ahead for good when her two-run scoring single to left-center brought in Riley Nayadley and Leilani Coleman-Tillman – giving the Bucs a 3-2 lead in the fourth inning. The hit by Hinson marked her first collegiate RBIs. The Thomasville, Ga. native drove in Muir on an RBI single to right-center in the Bucs' four-run fifth inning. 
 
Cameron Young accounted for three of ETSU's 11 hits as she reached base four times on the night (also walked). Young, Muir, Nayadley, Halle Laramie and Emily Glasscock all drove in runs in the winning effort. 
 
In the circle, Muir (1-2) allowed three runs (one earned) on four hits with five strikeouts in the 5.2 innings of work. Taylor Suchy tossed the final 1.1 innings in relief. Suchy had three strikeouts and all three runs charged to her were unearned. 
 
The Bucs jumped out to the early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning as Mesusan reached via an error, stole second and advanced to third on an infield single by Young. On the next at-bat, Muir drove in the Buccaneer newcomer with a sacrifice fly. 
 
The Owls answered with a run of their own in the bottom half of the first and took their only lead of the night in the third. Kennesaw State took a page out of the Bucs' book in the third as Ty Hardeman reached via an error, stole second and later came home on a sac-fly to left, giving the Owls a 2-1 lead.  
 
ETSU didn't trail for long as the Bucs pushed across two runs on three hits in the top of the fourth to regain the lead for good, 3-2. Hinson provided the clutch swing as she drove in Nayadley and Coleman-Tillman with her single into the left-center gap. 
 
After Muir retired the Owls in order in the bottom of the frame, ETSU gave the Buccaneer hurler some extra run support with a four-run fifth and a two-run sixth, making it 9-2 in favor of the Blue & Gold. 
 
The Owls tacked on a run in the sixth and plated three unearned runs in the seventh, but Suchy struck out Reese Evans looking to end the game for her third punch out of the frame. 
 
Lindsey Kyte took the loss for the Owls as she was tagged for three runs on six hits in four innings of work. Leah Jannakos entered in relief and was roughed up for five runs (three earned) on four hits in one inning. 
 
Kennesaw State, who played Ole Miss to a 3-1 game earlier in the day, dipped to 2-5 on the season. 
 
ETSU vs. Pittsburgh Recap
Despite taking a pair of one-run leads early on the Panthers, ETSU couldn't hold on as Pittsburgh rallied for a 6-2 win on Friday at the Kennesaw State Tournament. 
 
The Bucs, who outhit the Panthers 10-6, went ahead 1-0 on Taylor Suchy's RBI single in the first and recaptured a 2-1 lead on Emily Glasscock's RBI double in the second. Pittsburgh took the lead for good on a two-run homer by Ana Hernandez in the bottom of the second and tacked on a run in the fifth and two more in the sixth to come away with the four-run victory. 
 
Suchy led the Bucs with three hits against the Panthers, while Sara Muir added the other multi-hit game with two base knocks. Glasscock reached base twice as she had the double and also walked. 
 
Suchy (0-2) got the ball in the circle as she allowed four runs (three earned) on four hits in four innings. Gabrielle Fowler tossed two innings of two-run ball out of the bullpen. 
 
Pitt improved to 3-3 on the season with the victory, while Kyra Pittman earned the win in the circle. Pittamn allowed two runs (one earned) in a complete game effort. 
 
UP NEXT
ETSU returns to action Saturday morning when the Bucs face Ole Miss at 11 a.m., while facing Pitt in a rematch at 1:30 p.m. 
 
For more information on Buccaneer softball, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the softball page.