CARY, N.C. – Appalachian State softball took one of two from the N.C. Central Eagles in a midweek doubleheader on Wednesday, April 11. Seven stolen bases and two home runs from the Mountaineers allowed the Mountaineers to push ahead of the Eagles in game two.
Game One (L, 0-1)
The Apps fell to the Eagles in the first game, only losing by one run from a solo homer.
Laura Sales and
Jesse Wilson grabbed the Mountaineers' two hits. Kenize Longanecker and
Katie Williford split time in the circle, allowing only three hits and one RBI from the Eagles.
Game Two (W, 12-6)
The Mountaineers had the leadoff batter reach base in five of seven innings. Five Mountaineers had a multi-hit game in the second round of facing the Eagles. Dodd went 1-2 with a single to the shortstop, but she reached four of five times after walking and being hit by a pitch on two occasions. Walker and Wilson each went 3-4 in game two, and Wilson earned two RBI from her first career home run. App State had seven stolen bases in game two, a season best.
The Mountaineers started off game two on top with a one-run first inning thanks to a single up the middle from
Heather Josey after
Laura Sales reached on the walk and stole both second and third base.
In the second inning, Wilson singled to centerfield and advanced to second base on
Ally Walters' bunt for a hit to the pitcher. Sales reached on a throwing error by NCCU's third baseman to load the bases. With two outs,
Alisha Josey walked and
Jenny Dodd was hit by a pitch for an RBI.
Callie Kuykendall had four strikeouts during her time in the circle. To end the second inning, she struck out an Eagle to leave two runners stranded on base to diminish the threat with no harm. The Apps continued their 3-0 lead through the second inning.
Megan Walker led off the third inning with a slap through the left side for a single. The Mountaineers' leadoff batter touched base for the first four innings straight of game two. The Apps' put up three more runs in the third inning. Wilson moved Walker into scoring position at second base on a sacrifice bunt. Walker stole third before
Haley Stewart drew a walk and
Maddy Bloom entered to pinch run.
Ally Walters' single through the right side scored another run for the Apps. The Eagles' right fielder dropped a fly ball hit by
Keri White to allow two more runs to come across home plate. After two and a half innings, the Mountaineers led 6-0.
The Mountaineers scored again in the fourth inning. Dodd led off with a walk, and Walker singled to shortstop to put two on base. Wilson dropped a single in shallow left center to load the bases.
Haley Stewart's walk bought in the run for an RBI to improve the Mountaineers to a 7-1 lead.
H. Josey blasted her second homer of the season and eighteenth of her career for two more runs in the top of the fifth inning. Wilson sent one over the fence herself for her first career home run as a Mountaineer, bringing the score to 11-6. Sales scored on a wild pitch for the Mountaineers' final run.
Williford entered in the fifth inning to the circle. She kept the Eagles from scoring and escaped a bases-loaded situation to end the inning. The Eagles scored six runs on Kuyukendall in the third and fourth innings on a home run, a grand slam and a sacrifice fly.
