Bucs rally & walk off Villanova in the series opener
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (March 15, 2024) – The ETSU baseball team rallied from six runs down in the seventh inning for a walk-off victory over Villanova on Friday by a score of 12-11. With Friday’s win, the Bucs have now won three straight games and improved to 13-4 in the 2024 season including a 13-3 mark at Thomas Stadium.
Every member of ETSU’s starting lineup reached base at least once and five reached more than once. Nick Iannantone (2-for-2, three walks) and Cameron Sisneros (2-for-2, three RBI, three walks) both reached base five times on Friday. Noah Webb had an impressive day going 4-for-5 with a home run, two RBI, and two more runs scored. It marks the first four-hit game by a Buccaneer this season. Finally, Cody Miller went 3-for-6 and drove in four runs, including the game-winning RBI single in the bottom of the ninth to give ETSU its second consecutive walk-off win.
Starting pitchers Rian Schwede (Villanova) and Jace Hyde (ETSU) both pitched two scoreless innings to start Friday’s contest. The first runs in the game came in the third inning. With two outs in the frame, the Wildcats went double, double, and home run to put them on top 3-0. It marks just the third time all season that ETSU has not scored first.
It marks the first time this season that ETSU has won a game when not scoring first. Furthermore, it is ETSU’s largest comeback win of the season (six in the seventh) and its biggest since March 26, 2023, when it overcame a 7-0 deficit against Samford to ultimately win, 17-12. As mentioned earlier, Webb’s four-hit day is the most by an ETSU player this season, and Miller set a new career-high with four RBI in the win.
ETSU, now with its best record through 17 games since 2019 (also 13-4), will look to notch its fourth series win of the season tomorrow in game two. The first pitch for that contest is set for 2 p.m. at Thomas Stadium.
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