JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (March 4, 2024) – The ETSU softball team is back on the diamond this week as the Bucs gear up for a pair of home doubleheaders. The Bucs host Ball State on Tuesday and Radford on Wednesday at Betty Basler Field.
 
Please note, Tuesday's doubleheader has been moved up to a 1 p.m. start time.
 
ETSU VS. BALL STATE
Date: Tuesday, March 5
Time: 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.  
Location: Betty Basler Field
Live Stat Links: Game One | Game Two  

• Free admission to all ETSU home softball games

ETSU VS. RADFORD
Date: Wednesday, March 6
Time: 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.  
Location: Betty Basler Field
Live Stat Links: Game One | Game Two  

• Free admission to all ETSU home softball games

ABOUT THE BUCS

• The Bucs are 4-10 through their first 14 games of the season
• ETSU has started this lengthy home stand with splits over Appalachian State and Robert Morris … The Blue & Gold won the first game of each doubleheader against the Mountaineers and Colonials … On Tuesday, ETSU won 6-2 over App State and defeated Robert Morris 3-2 in eight innings on Sunday
• Brylee Mesusan has reached base in all 13 games played this season, while Sara Muir has reached in her last 10 contests
• Riley Nayadley carries a nine-game hit streak into this week's slate of games
• Meanwhile, Cameron Young leads the team with a .435 batting average … Young also paces the Bucs in hits (20), doubles (9), walks (9) and on-base percentage (.527), while she's tied for the lead in RBI (11)
• Young leads the SoCon in doubles and ranks second in batting average and on-base percentage
• Muir is also hitting over .400 as she's 18-for-43 (.419) with two doubles, one triple, three home runs and 11 RBI … Muir has produced all of ETSU's homers this season
• Mesusan, a Tennessee transfer, is hitting .354 (17-48) and has seven of the Bucs' eight steals this season
• In the circle, Muir has three of the Bucs' four wins, while Whitley Arnott is 1-1 with a team-best 3.15 ERA (3 ER/6.2 IP)

ABOUT BALL STATE

• Ball State is 8-11 through its first 19 games of the 2024 season
• The Cardinals split their four games this past weekend at the EKU Colonel Classic as Ball State picked up wins over Purdue Fort Wayne (6-0) and Canisius (7-3), while falling to host Eastern Kentucky (6-0) and Canisius (3-2)
• Ball State is led by McKayla Timmons as she's hitting a team-best .411 (23-56) with three doubles, nine home runs, 20 RBI and 20 runs scored … Timmons is also 7-for-7 in stolen bases
• Timmons has accounted for nine of Ball State's 17 homers
• In the circle, Francys King is 4-5 with a 3.58 ERA (30 ER/58.2 IP) with 26 strikeouts to 19 walks … King has tossed four complete games in nine starts and has two shutouts
• As a team, the Cardinals are hitting .243, while opponents are batting .301 … Ball State is 35-for-39 in stolen base opportunities
• Ball State was picked to finish fourth in the MAC
• The two teams have met seven prior times with Ball State holding the slight 4-3 all-time lead … The teams split a doubleheader last March in Johnson City … The Bucs won game two 3-2 

ABOUT RADFORD

• Radford dropped three of four this past weekend at the Thundering Herd Invitational and sit 8-9 on the season
• The Highlanders defeated Purdue 6-5, while dropping contests to Butler, Marshall and Purdue in West Virginia
• Lexie Roberts paces the Highlanders at the dish as she's hitting .436 (24-55) with one double, one triple, two RBI and 16 runs scored … Roberts is also 11-for-11 in stolen bases
• Abby Wilson provides the pop as seven of her 16 hits have gone for extra-bases … Wilson has five doubles, two home runs and 15 RBI
• Malorie Reeves is 3-1 with a 3.15 ERA (9 ER/20.0 IP) in eight appearances (four starts)
• Radford is being outscored 82-66 on the season, while the Highlanders are 33-for-34 in stolen bases
• Radford hosts Western Carolina in a doubleheader on Tuesday
• Radford leads the all-time series over ETSU, 25-15 … The teams played four times a year ago with the Highlanders winning three of four … ETSU won 4-3 on a walk-off single by Makenzie Henderson in the bottom of the ninth

UP NEXT
ETSU will be off until Saturday, March 23 when the Bucs open Southern Conference play at home against reigning champion UNCG.
 
For more information about ETSU softball, visit ETSUBucs.com and select softball.