Bucs hang on and outlast Western Carolina in extra innings to win SoCon series opener

CULLOWHEE, N.C. (WCYB) — It took everything in the tank for ETSU baseball to come away with a series win in Cullowhee on Sunday - outlasting Western Carolina in 12 innings.

While the Bucs could have been on the road a lot sooner, they were able to hang on and pull it out in extras for a big series opening win in the Southern Conference slate.

The Bucs entered the bottom of the ninth inning with a three-run lead before the Catamounts would score three runs in the bottom of the ninth off multiple ETSU relievers to force the game into extra innings.

In extras, momentum shifted several more times. Jamie Palmese smacked his second home run of the season to give ETSU the lead back at 8-7 in the top of the tenth. However, WCU got that run back in the bottom of the half to keep the game alive.

Following a scoreless eleventh inning, JD Yakubinis drove in the eventual winning run on a sacrifice fly in the top of the twelfth. Then Owen Kovacs shut down the Catamounts in the bottom half to give ETSU the win. Kovacs threw three shutout innings on Sunday and picked up his second career win.

With Sunday’s victory, the Buccaneers improve to (16-7) overall and (2-1) in SoCon play - with the win also marking the fifth consecutive conference series win dating back to last season.

ETSU will return to action on Thursday when it begins a three-game road series at UNC Greensboro. The series opener between the Bucs and Spartans is set for 6 p.m.