MACON, Ga. (April 13, 2024) – For the second straight Saturday, the ETSU softball team battled to earn a split in a Southern Conference doubleheader.
 
Taylor Suchy drove in two of the Buccaneers' three runs – including the game-winning sacrifice fly in the top of the eighth – while Whitley Arnott registered her second straight complete game effort as ETSU rallied for a 3-2 eight-inning win over Mercer in game one on Saturday at Sikes Field. Despite jumping out to a 1-0 lead in game two, the Blue & Gold couldn't hold on as the Bears used a three-run fourth inning to rally for a 3-1 win.
 
With the split, ETSU moved to 8-26 overall and 2-9 in SoCon play, while Mercer – who entered the weekend tied for first place in the conference standings – is now 19-20, 8-3.
 
In game one, the Bucs struck first as Brylee Mesusan worked an 11-pitch walk, stole second and charged home on Suchy's two-out RBI single through the left side, giving ETSU the 1-0 lead in the top of the first.
 
Mercer responded with a two-run second inning to take its first lead of the day, but the Blue & Gold quickly answered in the top of the third to pull even at 2-2. Cameron Young ripped her team-leading 13th double of the season – and after moving to third on a wild pitch – the Buccaneer third baseman came home on Riley Nayadley's sac-fly RBI to center.
 
With things knotted up, the Bears left the bases loaded in the bottom of the third as Arnott got Lillian Wilkerson out looking on a 3-2 pitch to end the frame. Again, Arnott faced a little bit of trouble in the fifth when Avery Barton reached on a one-out double and moved to third on a two-out wild pitch. Th Buccaneer hurler got out of the inning unscathed as she forced Megan Loughren into an inning-ending fly out to center.
 
After the Bears left two runners stranded in the sixth thanks to Arnott getting Tori Hedgecock – Mercer's top power threat – to fly out to left, both teams were held in check and were forced to play some extra softball.
 
ETSU didn't waste any time in the eighth as Mesusan led off with an infield single and moved to second when Young worked a walk. From there, Nayadley laid down a sacrifice bunt and Suchy followed with her sac-fly RBI to center, giving Mesusan the opportunity to score the game-winning run as the Bucs led, 3-2.
 
Mercer went down fighting, but Arnott wasn't fazed in circle. With runners on first and second and only one out, Arnott got Alyssa Woods to line out to center and forced Janessa Plummer to ground back to the circle to end the opener.
 
Arnott improved to 4-4 after holding Mercer to two runs on eight hits in eight innings of work. The Buccaneer right-hander walked five and struck out three while tossing 158 pitches. Hannah Pitts took the loss (4-6) as she was charged for the three runs on five hits with 11 strikeouts to three walks in eight innings.
 
In the nightcap, ETSU was only able to muster one run in the top of the first and was held scoreless for the final six innings as Mercer evened the series with a 3-1 win.
 
Again, it was Suchy who provided the run-scoring play in game two as her fielder's choice RBI to third brought in Mesusan to give ETSU the early 1-0 advantage. The Bucs left runners on the corners in the top of the first and had the bases loaded with one out in the top of the third but couldn't bring any runs home.
 
Mercer finally got on the board in the fourth as they plated three runs on three hits to take the 3-1 lead.
 
The Bucs threatened again in the sixth as they loaded the bases for the second time, but Mercer got out of the jam with an inning-ending fly out to right by Nayadley.
 
ETSU, who out-hit Mercer 8-6, left 11 runners stranded in game two and went 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position and 0-for-3 with the bases loaded.
 
Mesusan and Nayadley each had two hits in game two, while Suchy got the start in the circle and suffered the loss. Suchy (0-11) allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits with six strikeouts (zero walks) in six innings. Grace Taylor earned the win (9-8) as she allowed one unearned run on eight hits with five strikeouts (one walk) in seven innings.
 
The rubber match of the series is set for Sunday at 1 p.m.
 
For more information about ETSU softball, visit ETSUBucs.com and select softball.