East Tennessee State University’s softball team will begin its Southern Conference Tournament campaign as the No. 6 seed against No. 7 seed Mercer on May 6 in Chattanooga. The single-elimination game is scheduled for 9 a.m. Eastern Time at Chattanooga’s auxiliary field, with the winner advancing to face No. 3 seed Western Carolina later that day.
The matchup holds significance as both teams finished the regular season with identical conference records of eight wins and thirteen losses. East Tennessee State recently secured a series win over Mercer, taking two out of three games during their last meeting from May 2-3.
The Buccaneers have recorded several milestones this season, including their third Southern Conference series victory—the most since the 2016 and 2017 seasons—and their first shutout in league play with a seven-run win over Samford. The team also achieved its largest margin of victory since 2002 with a historic 21-2 win against Furman on March 28, tying the program record for most runs scored in a single game.
In addition to these achievements, East Tennessee State swept Furman for only the fifth time in program history and began its season with four consecutive wins at the Scotsman Invitational—marking its best start ever. The squad features seven freshmen, eight sophomores, nine juniors, and five seniors among its roster of twenty-two returners and seven newcomers.
Head Coach Cheryl Milligan leads the team into her fourth season at East Tennessee State University alongside returning assistant coaches Bill and others. Milligan seeks to improve upon her current record at ETSU as well as her overall career coaching mark.
Looking ahead, East Tennessee State aims to continue building momentum after notable performances throughout their regular season schedule spanning ten conferences and twenty-two opponents.
