*Note updated start time for game one*
TOLEDO, Ohio (April 24, 2025) – The ETSU baseball team will play its final non-conference series of the season this weekend when it travels to take on Toledo for a three-game set. All three games of the series, which is set to get underway at 1 p.m. on Friday, can be seen on ESPN+.
Probable Pitching Matchups
RHP Carter Fink (ETSU) vs. RHP Logan Jones (UT) – Friday @ 1 p.m. | Live Stats | ESPN+
RHP Jace Hyde (ETSU) vs. RHP Jackson Bergman (UT) – Saturday @ 1 p.m. | Live Stats | ESPN+
RHP Michael Harpster (ETSU) vs. RHP Brady Sasse (UT) – Sunday @ 1 p.m. | Live Stats | ESPN+
Last Time Out – ETSU is coming off a
13-6 win on the road at Appalachian State on Tuesday. The victory improves ETSU's record to 28-11 this season. Additionally, it was the first season sweep for the Bucs against the Mountaineers since 2011 and just their third win in Boone since 2013.
Single Season Home Run Record Within Reach – ETSU could make some program history this weekend as it needs to hit just three more home runs to break the single season program record held of 93 held by the 2010 team. When/if the Bucs break the record, they'll enter the top 10 all-time in the SoCon history books for home runs in a season. The SoCon record is 138 homers set by Elon in 2009. Furthermore, the Bucs are also on pace to break the school record for slugging percentage in a season (2025 - .594, 1981 - .544).
Non-Conference Series Note – The Bucs have won nine consecutive non-conference series dating back to last season. In 2025, ETSU has earned non-SoCon series wins against Northern Kentucky, Miami (OH), Siena, Binghamton, Pittsburgh, and Longwood. The Blue and Gold has not dropped a non-league set since James Madison won two of three against the Bucs in March 2024.
Success away from Johnson City – While the Bucs have been stellar at home this spring (22-7), ETSU has held its own when heading out on the road with a 6-4 record. The Blue and Gold has road wins at Appalachian State, USC Upstate (two), Mercer (two) and over then-No. 1 Tennessee in 2025.
Cooper Torres has led the charge on the road hitting .452 with six home runs and 24 RBI. With road trips to Toledo, VMI, UNC Asheville and The Citadel left on the schedule, the Bucs will try to have their first winning road record since 2018 when they went 14-12.
Starting Staff Shining in April – As the Bucs approach the final month of the regular season, their weekend starters have been turning in some of their best work of the season in April. The trio of
Carter Fink,
Jace Hyde and
Michael Harpster are a combined 5-2 this month with a 2.42 ERA in nine starts. The Buccaneer bullpen has held up well too with a collective ERA of 3.27 and a .205 opponent batting average in those contests.
About Toledo – The Rockets, who are 17-23 this season, have been playing well recently winning four of their last five games. The last of those victories came on the road at Ohio State on Wednesday by a score of 11-6. Toledo is a team that relies on pitching and defense as it ranks first in the MAC in team ERA (5.62), while ranking second in the league in fielding percentage (.975).
Series Rewind vs. Toledo – ETSU will be making its first ever trip to Toledo this weekend. The Bucs and Rockets have played six games previously but all of them have been contested in Johnson City. The pair of three-game series opened the 2020 and 2023 seasons. ETSU has won five of the six all-time meetings and have outscored the Rockets 52-20 in those previous games.
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