JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (March 22, 2024) – The ETSU softball team returns to the diamond for the first time in 11 days as the Buccaneers host UNCG in the Southern Conference opener this weekend at Betty Basler Field.
 
ETSU and UNCG are scheduled to play a doubleheader on Saturday starting at 1 p.m., while the series finale is slated for Sunday at 1 p.m.
 
GAMEDAY INFO
Date: Saturday, March 23
Time: 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
Location: Betty Basler Field
Media Links: Game One Live Video | Game One Live Stats |Game Two Live Video | Game Two Live Stats
 
Date: Sunday, March 24
Time: 1 p.m.
Location: Betty Basler Field
Media Links:  Live Video |  Live Stats  

• Free admission to all ETSU home softball games 

ABOUT THE BUCS

• ETSU, who hasn't played since March 11, is 4-14 on the season
• The Bucs were swept in a doubleheader at Appalachian State last time out
• ETSU is led by Cameron Young as she is hitting .435 (20-46) with nine doubles, 10 runs and 11 RBI
• Brylee Mesusan, who reached base in 13 straight games earlier this season, leads the team in hits (21), runs (15) and stolen bases (7)
• Riley Nayadley and Cameron Young have both hit safely in 10 straight games earlier this year … Nayadley is hitting .354 (17-48) with eight RBI
• Young and Naayadley were both named preseason all-SoCon 
• Taylor Suchy and Sara Muir have logged the most innings for the Blue & Gold … Suchy has tossed 37 innings and leads the Bucs with a 4.16 ERA … Muir leads ETSU in wins (4), IP (38) and strikeouts (21)  
• ETSU has scored first-inning runs in three of its four wins, while the Bucs have scored first in their four wins this season

ABOUT UNCG

• UNCG enters SoCon play with an overall record of 16-14
• The Spartans last played on Wednesday when they split a doubleheader with Radford … UNCG won the opener 3-1 in nine innings and dropped the nightcap 4-3
• UNCG is led by Brooklyn Maxwell as she's hitting .419 with eight doubles, five triples, 10 home runs and 30 RBI
• As a team, UNCG has hit 43 home runs and scored 152 runs
• In the circle, Salem Ward leads the team with a 2.10 ERA as she has appeared in 11 games with two starts … Ward also has a team-best 41 strikeouts … Rhyann Jones has a team-best 12 starts as she's 3-4 with a 3.27 ERA, while Maddie Spell paces the Spartans in wins (7)
• UNCG is the reigning SoCon regular season and tournament champions
• The Spartans were tabbed the preseason favorite in the SoCon, while five players picked up preseason all-SoCon honors … Maxwell, Spell and Jones were joined by Jorde Chartrand and Grace Loftin 

SERIES HISTORY

• UNCG leads the all-time series 34-9
• The Spartans have won the last six games in series
• ETSU's last win came on March 27, 2021 when the Bucs won 7-2 in Greensboro
• The Bucs' last win in Johnson City came back on April 24, 2016 when ETSU won 4-1

UP NEXT
ETSU steps back out of conference play next week when the Bucs head to Winthrop for a doubleheader on Tuesday and then take on Tennessee Tech in a single home game on Wednesday night at 6 p.m.
 
For more information about ETSU softball, visit ETSUBucs.com and select softball.