JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (March 28, 2025) – East Tennessee State University softball began its second conference series and first at home with a 6-4 loss to Furman on Friday.

After Sunday's game was moved two days prior in anticipation of inclement weather, the bats for both teams took an inning to settle into the game before getting on track in the second. The Paladins pushed the first run across on a fielder's choice and added another on a sacrifice bunt to take a 2-0 lead.

ETSU responded in the bottom half of the frame with a two run titanic blast from junior catcher Leinani Lutu that reached the parking lot in center field. The shot marked her second home run in as many games. 

The Paladins added single runs in the top of the third and fifth. After pushing the fourth run of the game across, junior Abigail Taylor kept the deficit at two runs by throwing out a Furman runner at home. 

Riley Nayadley and Cameron Young both reached base to start the sixth, and Sara Muir drove in Nayadley to bring the Buccaneers within one before Taylor Suchy tied the game with an RBI single to score Young.

However, a two-out ETSU error in the top of the seventh allowed two more Furman runs to score, and the Paladins held off the Bucs in the bottom half of the inning to take the series opener, 6-4.

For more information on Buccaneer softball, follow @ETSUSoftball on X (Twitter), @etsubucssoftball on Instagram and visit ETSUBucs.com.