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The Bucs of ETSU headed over the mountain this weekend for a baseball series in Cullowhee, North Carolina. Western Carolina and ETSU have had a long standing rivalry this century, dating back to 2001. Going into the weekend series, The Bucs are 25-13 overall, and 7-10 for away games. Western however, is 27-15 with a 16-2 record at Hennon Stadium in Cullowhee.
This series started Friday, April 24th, with a doubleheader due to weather expected on Saturday, and an additional game Sunday for the finale.
Friday Game One;
Friday Game One of the doubleheader started at 3pm with the first pitch. This game was a slower start for The Bucs, with the biggest chunk of their runs coming in the 5th and 6th innings. In the first, Jamie Palmese flied out to center and sent Nate Conner home. Western responded and scored 2 runs in the first, 2 in the third, and 3 in the fourth.
By the top of the 5th, The Bucs were down 7-1. Runs came in from Axel Melendez, Mason Ault, Hunter Ferguson, Tristan Curless, and Palmese in the 5th. Western again answered with 2 runs in the bottom of the 5th, bringing the score 9-6 in the Catamounts favor. Additionally, ETSU had another surge in the 6th, scoring 4 runs from Melendez, Ian Guanzon, Ault and Conner. This surge was not enough though, as Western Carolina scored 5 more runs to seal their win in game one.
Friday, Game Two. Bucs Looking For a Comeback
The Bucs pushed through Game One but came up short, and Game Two started up on Friday shortly after at 6:45pm.
Palmese again was the catalyst for runs in this game, homering to center field and giving The Bucs a lead in the 2nd. Western Carolina answered in the same inning, bringing the score 1-1. The Bucs again forced a lead in the 4th when Palmese scored again, and Fettermen also scored. Additionally in the 5th, ETSU pushed forward on the scoreboard when Guanzon scored, making it a 4-1 game. Western Carolina answered but it wasn’t enough to tie it up, and The Bucs held them at a 1 run deficit the rest of the contest. ETSU wins game two, 4-3.
Game Three; Rubber Match for The Bucs
Game Three to settle the score was on Sunday, April 26th at 1pm. From the start, this match up was a challenge for The Bucs. Western Carolina scored in every inning, apart from the 6th. The Bucs were held to only 2 runs, one coming from Luke Matlock in the 2nd, and another from A RBI by Ferguson sending Guanzon to home.
A key part of this loss for The Bucs was the bullpen. Western Carolina managed to burn through 8 of ETSY’s pitchers, showcasing their offensive ability. On the other hand, ETSU has a strong roster from the dugout, but fell short. Not without effort, but lots of innings were shut down with runners left on base almost every time. This loss today ended a 6 series streak win for The Bucs.
What’s Next for The Bucs?
The Bucs will head back home, and host the UNCA Bulldogs on Tuesday, April 28th at 5pm. This matchup will be at Thomas Stadium, in Johnson City. The Bucs and The Bulldogs have been rivals since 2001 as well, and The Bucs currently hold the lead with a 31-15 record against UNCA. Out of the last 10 meetups, ETSU has won 9 of them, and they also current are in a 5 game win streak over UNCA.
You can view this game on ESPN+.
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