JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. - East Tennessee State softball welcomes Tennessee Tech to Betty Basler Field for the first midweek contest of the 2026 schedule for the Bucs.  
 
East Tennessee State (11-5, 0-0 SoCon) vs. Tennessee Tech (2-17, 0-3 OVC)
March 10 | 6 p.m. ET | Betty Basler Field | Johnson City, Tenn.
Live Stats
     
Gabrielle Fowler - SoCon Pitcher of the Week (March 2)
Riley Croley - SoCon Player of the Week (March 2)
 

• Payton Moore was an offensive leader in the Winthrop Invitational, recording her second, third and fourth career home runs through the final three contests of the week.  One home run being the game-winning hit in the 7-5 victory over Bucknell with three RBI on the at-bat.
• The Bucs swept the doubleheader against Alabama A&M with Fowler picking up the win in the circle game one and Muncy with the win on the mound in game two.
• Catlin Pennington picked up her second win in the circle this season in the 8-7 win over TSU due to 5.1 innings pitched with three strikeouts and no walks, limiting TSU to just two runs scored during that time.
• The 17-0 victory over Tennessee State is the second-best performance for the Bucs 2002 where the team recorded 21 runs in a win over NC A&T.  The 17 runs is a Betty Basler Field facility record.  18 Buccaneers recorded a plate appearance, with 14 of 18 registering a hit and 13 of 18 notching runs, with four individuals recording multiple runs.  Riley Martens blasted her first home run as a Buccaneer, and the 18th of her career, driving in three runs with a dead-center rocket shot. The shutout was jsut the fourth for the Bucs through the last three seasons.
• Payton Moore tallied her first career home run in the 3-2 victory over BGSU, driving in two RBI to secure the win. Eden Muncy picked up five strikeouts in the ring for the individual single-game high for the Bucs this season. 
• Tiare Rieger and Whitney Boone registered their second career home runs in the Soctsman Invitational while Hailey Porter clocked her first.
• The Bucs opened the season 4-0 at the Scotsman Invitational hosted by Presbyterian, going 2-0 versus Albany with wins over Presbyterian and Mercyhurst to collect the best start to season in program history.

• ETSU is slated for 52 contests in the regular season with 25 at home in Betty Basler Stadium and 27 on the road.
• The Bucs face foes from 10 conferences including the SoCon, Big South, NEC, AEC, OVC, SWAC, MAC, Patroit League, Sun Belt, and SEC across 22  opponents.
• ETSU was picked to finish eighth overall in the Southern Conference Preseason Poll.
• Cheryl Milligan enters the 2026 season at the helm of the program for the fourth season, returning assistant coaches Bill and Rick Wagner.  Milligan looks to improve on her 46-113 ETSU record and her 587-321-1 career record.
• The squad consists of seven freshmen, eight sophomores, nine juniors and five seniors with 22 returners and seven newcomers.  Of the notable returners are senior catcher Leinani Lutu, senior pitcher Barnes and junior infielder Tiare Rieger.