BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. (Feb. 9, 2024) – The ETSU softball team opened its 2024 season falling to Youngstown State and Gardner-Webb at the Runnin' Bulldog Classic on Friday in Boiling Springs, N.C.
ETSU dropped its season opener to Youngstown State, 6-2, and fell in the nightcap to the host Bulldogs, 13-5 in six innings from Brinkley Softball Stadium.
ETSU starts the season at 0-2, while Gardner-Webb and Youngstown State each won their two games on Friday.
ETSU vs. Youngstown State Recap
Despite jumping out to a 2-0 lead through the first three innings, ETSU couldn't hold on as Youngstown State scored six unanswered runs to rally for a 6-2 victory.
Brylee Mesusan had a solid Buccaneer debut as she went 4-for-4 with two stolen bases and a run scored.
Mesusan accounted for four of the Bucs' 10 hits, while the Penguins finished with nine hits.
Riley Nayadley produced a two-hit game with a double, while
Cameron Young reached base twice on two walks and scored the first run of the season for ETSU.
The Bucs jumped out to a 1-0 lead on a sacrifice fly RBI from freshman
Cameron Lauretta in the bottom of the first, while Mesusan scored in the third on an RBI ground out by
Sara Muir, giving the Blue & Gold a two-run cushion.
Youngstown State answered with four runs in the fourth, starting with a home run from Kennedy Dean, while Hailey Niederkohr capped off the scoring with a two-run scoring double, putting the Penguins up, 4-2.
Niederkohr added another RBI double in the sixth and the Penguins capped off the scoring with an RBI single in the seventh, resulting in the 6-2 score.
Muir (0-1) tossed a complete game as she allowed six runs on nine hits with four strikeouts in the losing effort.
ETSU at Gardner-Webb Recap
Gardner-Webb used a seven-run fifth inning to rally past ETSU, 13-5 in the nightcap of day one at the Runnin' Bulldog Classic on Friday.
The Bucs fell behind early as Gardner-Webb tacked on two runs in the bottom of the first before the Blue & Gold took their first lead thanks to a three-run third, making it 3-2. The see-saw battle continued with the host Bulldogs plating two runs in the bottom of the third to go back ahead by a run.
ETSU continued to battle and regained a 5-4 advantage thanks to
Taylor Suchy coming home on a passed ball and
Makenzie Henderson sprinting home on a wild pitch.
Unfortunately, Gardner-Webb's bats came alive in the later innings as the host scored seven runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth to earn the run-rule victory.
Six different Bucs accounted for their seven hits with Suchy leading the way with a two-hit game.
Cameron Young,
Sara Muir and
Riley Nayadley all drove in runs for the Blue & Gold.
Suchy was one of three Buccaneer pitchers to face time in the circle. The ETSU lefty suffered the loss after being charged for seven runs on four hits in two innings.
UP NEXT
ETSU resumes play at the Runnin' Bulldog Classic on Saturday as the Bucs face Delaware at 11 a.m. and Youngstown State at 3 p.m.
For more information on Buccaneer softball, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the softball page.
