JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Feb. 13, 2026) – Trailing by a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth inning,
Tristan Curless hit a grand slam to help lift the ETSU baseball team to a 6-5 victory over Marist in its season opener on Friday from Thomas Stadium. ETSU has now started 1-0 in each of the last 10 seasons.
In addition to the late grand slam, Curless was one of three Bucs to have two hits on the day with the others being
Jamie Palmese and
Ian Guanzon.
Andrew Hill,
Henry Ferguson, and
Mason Ault also got into the hit column for the Bucs. ETSU also showed excellent plate discipline in win working 10 walks off Marist's pitching staff.
Three pitchers made their season debuts for ETSU on Friday.
Tadan Bell made the start and worked the first 3.2 innings. Bell allowed three runs on four hits and struck out three in his ETSU debut. Bell was followed out of the Buccaneer bullpen by
Evan Rolison and
Andrew Cotten. Both pitchers threw 2.2 innings and struck out two hitters a piece. Cotten picked up the win on Friday, which is his fourth career victory as a Buc. As a staff, the Bucs also picked off a pair of runners in the win.
Patience at the plate gave the Bucs the lead in the first inning on Friday. Four of the first five batters worked walks forcing in the first run of the season. Guanzon drove in ETSU's second run with a sacrifice fly to stake the Bucs to an early 2-0 lead.
Marist got one of those runs back in the third and then took its first lead of the season in the fourth. The first three hitters in the fourth reached base. Marist tied the game on a rare sacrifice fly that was hauled in by Curless at first base. Going towards the right field corner, Curless delivered a good throw home to try and get the runner, but it was not in time. A more traditional sacrifice fly to center field later in the frame put Marist up, 3-2.
Marist boosted its lead to two thanks to a sacrifice fly in the seventh. ETSU's rally in the eighth began with one out. Palmese singled and then the duo of
Axel Melendez and
Tyler Fetterman both drew walks to fill the bases for Curless. Curless, who hit 10 home runs in 2025, squared up his first of 2026 in a big spot to put the Bucs back in front, 6-4.
Marist got one of the runs back thanks to a solo home run, but Cotten, who entered the game in the seventh, retired the final hitter on a ground out to finish off the 6-5 victory.
Because of the forecast for Sunday, the Bucs and Red Foxes will wrap up their series on Saturday with a doubleheader. First pitch for game one is set for Noon from Thomas Stadium with the second game to follow roughly 45 minutes following the conclusion of the first contest.
For more information on Buccaneer baseball, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the baseball tab.
