STORRS, Conn. (May 2, 2026) – The ETSU baseball team picked up some timely hits, had some stellar work on the mound, and flashed excellent defense in a 6-1 win on the road at UConn on Saturday afternoon. The victory, which clinches the series for the Buccaneers, improves ETSU's overall record to 29-15 this season.
ETSU showed some power on Saturday with eight of its 12 hits going for extra bases, including five doubles, two home runs, and one triple. Four Bucs had two-hit games:
Tristan Curless,
Jamie Palmese,
Joey Little, and
Ian Guanzon. Curless knocked in two runs and slugged his 14th home run of the season, while
Henry Ferguson homered for the second consecutive day to help lead the charge for ETSU.
On the mound,
Tadan Bell turned in one of his best starts of the season against the Huskies. Bell threw a career-high 7.1 innings and allowed one run (not earned) on six hits to go with four strikeouts. All six hits against Bell were singles, and the ETSU starter did not walk or hit any batters in the contest. In addition to his work offensively, Curless came in and got the final five outs of the game on the mound for the Bucs. Curless, who walked one and struck out two in his outing, earned his fourth save of the season.
The Bucs wasted little time getting on the board first on Saturday with an unearned run in the second. Little singled, but he took a wide turn that forced a throw by UConn to try to get him out. However, the throw got away, and that miscue allowed
Tyler Fetterman to score all the way from first base on the play.
Continuing their early success, the Bucs doubled their advantage in the third.
Nate Conner got things rolling with a double before Curless hit a double of his own off the center field wall to make the score 2-0 ETSU.
With a 2-0 lead established, Bell settled into a nice groove on the mound. Bell was aided by some excellent defensive plays behind him, along with two double plays turned. At one point, Bell retired 11 UConn hitters in a row through the middle innings.
In the later innings, Guanzon lined a triple into the gap to make it 3-0 ETSU in the seventh before Ferguson and Curless smashed back-to-back solo home runs in the eighth to grow ETSU's advantage to 5-0.
UConn scored an unearned run in the eighth and had the tying run on deck. However, the Bucs gave the ball to Curless, and he got the final two outs of the frame to move the game to the ninth.
In the top of the ninth, a sacrifice fly by Conner scored
Andrew Hill to give the Bucs some added insurance headed to the bottom half. Curless then retired the Huskies in order to clinch the 6-1 win for ETSU.
The Bucs and Huskies will conclude their three-game series on Sunday. First pitch for the series finale is set for 11 a.m.
For more information on Buccaneer baseball, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the baseball tab.
