Post by The Cats on Mar 20, 2024 15:47:54 GMT -5
Who: ETSU
When: Friday, March 22 thru Sunday, March 24, 2024
Time: Friday 5:00 pm; Saturday 2 pm; Sunday 1:00 pm
Where: Childress Field, Cullowhee, NC
TV/video: ESPN+
Live Stats: WCU Live Stats
-announcer: Daniel Hooker (PxP)
Nickname: Bucs
Colors: Blue and Gold
Head Coach: Joe Pennucci was named the head coach of the Buccaneers’ baseball program in 2017. He is in his seventh season as the Bucs head baseball coach.
The Series: The Cats own an 70-45 overall record vs. the Bucs, in a series that started in 1971. The Cats are 36-25 in games played in Cullowhee, but only 2-8 in the last ten games played. The Cats were 1-2 in the series played in Johnson City last season.
Current record: 14-6 overall, 14-4 home, 0-2 away, 0-0 SoCon.
To open Southern Conference play, the Bucs will venture out of Johnson City for only the third time of the season, both previous road games were losses for the Bucs. ETSU was picked to finish 5th in the SoCon preseason polls, as 1B Cameron Sisneros, Sr.; 3B Cody Miller, So.; OF Tommy Barth, Jr., & DH Nick Iannantone, Sr. were selected for preseason honors.
Roughly one month into the season, ETSU ranks among the top 25 in the nation in multiple statistical categories. The Bucs are fifth in sacrifice flies (17), 11th in doubles per game (2.63), 13th in doubles (50), 19th in batting average (.323) and 21st in walks (124). On the pitching side, the Bucs lead all SoCon pitching staffs in hits allowed per nine innings (8.13) and strikeouts per nine innings (9.8). Cameron Sisneros has continued to be one of the major keys in ETSU's lineup. Entering play on Tuesday, Sisneros ranks ninth in Division I baseball with 32 RBI. Sisneros, a Preseason All-SoCon First Team selection, also ranks 12th in on-base percentage (.570) and 25th in doubles (9). Furthermore, Sisneros ranks as the seventh-hardest hitter to strike out this season as he has gone down on strikes just three times in 66 at-bats.
After last week's play, Cody Miller is hitting .400 in 2024. Miller along with Sisneros and Nick Iannantone are the only Bucs to play in every game this season. Miller, a member of the All-SoCon Freshman Team in 2023, has a 12-game hitting streak and has reached base in 14 consecutive games.
