Competing in its third straight non-conference weekend tournament and its first outside of the state of Florida, Siena Softball dropped a pair of contests to begin the Buccaneer Invitational in Johnson City, Tennessee. The Saints fell to first-time opponent Evansville, 4-7, before dropping an 11-5 decision to host East Tennessee State.

Taking part in the tournament and playing in the Volunteer State for the first time since 2016, the Green and Gold went down early to the Purple Aces to start the day. Evansville got on the board with a two-run homer in the bottom of the first, and followed up with a two RBI single and a second two-run shot to left field in the following frame to make it 6-0. The Saints broke through on the board in the third inning with freshman Yamila Evans sending in classmate Sabrina Vargas on an RBI single.

The Missouri Valley Conference opponent would plate another run off an RBI double in the fourth before the Saints scored three straight to give the contest its 7-4 end result. Evans began the three-run fifth inning by coming home on an RBI ground out from senior Lauren Sabihon, while Loryn DeFalco singled to plate captain Madysen Cossack, and Vargas waved in sophomore Isabelle DeChiaro on an RBI single to short. Siena left a runner on third in the fifth and could not put a man back in scoring position the following two innings.

Junior Maddie McMahon (3-4) went the distance in the circle for the Saints, striking out four and waking eight in six innings of work.

Taking the field for game two shortly after, Siena took an early lead against the Buccaneers. Following an ETSU runner coming home with the bases loaded walk to make it 1-0 in the first, DeChiaro tied the game in the second off a sacrifice fly from Natalie Marchese and the singled to plate Sabihon and Evans the following inning to make it 3-1. A two-run double from the home team evened the score back up, and the two run homer to left in the same frame game ETSU a 5-3 advantage.

The game's third and final tie came in the top of the fourth inning, when DeChiaro again plated a pair on a single, this time smacking a ball to right that allowed Patricia Kalesse and Jessika Jaime to cross home, putting the score at five-all. ETSU used the bottom half of the fifth to score three runs off an RBI double and single, and closed out the contest with three insurance runs off a passed ball and another two-bagger.

Sophomore Brooke Hughes retired a pair of batters via the strikeout and walked three in a three-inning no decision in the circle for the saints. Freshman Sarah Dowalo (0-2P)P took the loss in 2.2 innings, striking out three and walking four, while DeChiaro made her collegiate debut in the circle, facing one batter near in the bottom of the sixth.

Siena returns to the field Sunday morning to close out play at the Buccaneer Invitational with another doubleheader. The Saints will face first-time foe Rutgers at 9 AM and will then compete in a rematch against Evansville at 11 AM.