JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (April 13, 2025) – East Tennessee State University softball used a sixth inning rally to come back and defeat Mercer 5-2 on Sunday.

Freshman Whitney Boone, senior Sara Muir and junior Leinani Lutu all reached base safely three times on Sunday and each scored a run.

Mercer opened the scoring in the first inning with a single to center to take a 1-0 lead. ETSU left two runners on in the second and the bases loaded in the third before finally breaking through in the bottom of the fourth. Senior Riley Nayadley snuck a single through the right side of the infield that scored freshman Natalie Green, but the Bucs left the bases full again with a chance to take the lead. 

The Bears retook the lead in the top of the fifth after manufacturing a run on a pair of singles and a fielder's choice, but ETSU responded in the bottom half of the frame with a RBI double from Green to score Lutu.

The Bucs fully took control in the bottom half of the sixth. Boone singled and senior Cameron Young was hit by a pitch, and both runners advanced into scoring position on a passed ball. Muir smoked a double to the left field fence, scoring both Boone and Young and giving ETSU a 4-2 lead. 

Junior Taylor Suchy drove Muir home three batters later to take a 5-2 lead before Mercer got out of the inning. That score would hold for the win.

Fowler entered in the seventh to close out the win. She gave up a hit but got three flyouts, of which the final one drove Suchy to the warning track, but she secured the catch with her back to the right field fence to seal the Bucs' first win of the month and her third save of the year. Muir earned the win in the circle after scattering four hits over four innings.

Next, the Bucs head to league-leading UNCG for a series beginning at 1 p.m. on Friday, April 18.  

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