JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. - East Tennessee State softball split the final home doubleheader of the 2026 season on Tuesday afternoon.  The Bucs (19-27, 6-12 SoCon) captured the win 4-3 in game one and fell 0-1 in game two to the Runnin' Bulldogs (30-23, 8-10 Big South).

GAME 1 NOTABLES (W, 4-3)
How It Happened:
Croley opened up the offense for the Bucs early in the top of the second with a leadoff single.  She was advanced to second on a groundout from Moore then driven in on Martens' third double of the season.  GWU responded in the top of the fourth with a run but ETSU reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the frame after singles from Croley, Stowell and Rieger loaded the bases for a sac fly RBI for Porter.  The Bucs placed their third run on the board in the bottom of the fifth after a single place Croley on first and she advanced to third on a single from Stowell.  Croley and Stowell attempted a double steal which proved successful after an error on the catcher allowed Croley to safely cross the plate for the third time.  The Runnin' Bulldogs placed additional single runs on the board in the top of the sixth and top of the seventh to tie the score heading into the bottom of the seventh.  A Croley double and Stowell single placed two on for Martens to send a sac fly out to left center for a walkoff, bringing Croley home to secure the win.

• Riley Croley was the only individual to cross the plate for the Bucs on the day, totaling four runs scored, marking the first time this season that a single individual was responsible for all runs in an outing.
• Croley and Maddison Stowell registered three hits apiece to combine for six of the 12 hits by the Bucs in the meeting.  Croley posted a flawless day at the plate after going 3-3 with a walk while Stowell posted a career-best 3-4.  
• Riley Martens tallied two RBI with her double and a walkoff sac fly while Hailey Porter tallied one RBI, also on a sac fly.  
• 15 of the Runnin' Bulldogs outs came from flyouts, of which Abigail Taylor was responsible for seven of, for a career-high in putouts.  Leinani Lutu followed with four putouts and Stowell and Martens tallied three apiece. 
• The team totaled 30 at-bats, 12 hits, four runs, three RBI, drew three walks and collected three assists through the 21 putouts.  

GAME 2 NOTABLES (L, 0-1)

• Payton Moore and Leilani Coleman were the lone Bucs to record a hit in the outing, with both being singles into the shallow outfield.
• Riley Croley and Riley Martens both drew a walk in the outing with Croley collecting an extra base off the walk.  
• Croley secured a career-high five assists for the team-high while Hailey Porter and Tiare Rieger each collected four assists to tie their season-highs.
• Marissa Barnes and Taylor Suchy combined for four strikeouts in the meeting with Gardner-Webb. Barnes held the Big South foe scoreless through her 4.0 innings pitched, making it 11.0 consecutive innings without a run scored on Barnes.  Suchy surrendered just two hits.  
• The team totaled 21 at-bats, two hits, drew two walks and totaled 15 assists through the 21 putouts for a team season-high in assists.

UP NEXT
The Bucs travel to Macon, Ga. for the final regular season series at Mercer over May 2-3.