ELON, N.C. - Katie Boyd drove in Hayley Grabner in the top of the eighth and Allie Cashion added a two-run homer to lift Appalachian State University softball to a 5-2 eight inning win over Elon in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday afternoon. Elon won game two 1-0.
After the two teams were tied after seven, Morgan Price led off the top of the eighth and reached when she was hit by a pitch. Grabner came in to pinch run, and after a strikeout, advanced to third on a Megan Rembielak ground out.
Boyd knocked the first pitch she saw into right field to drive in Grabner to drive in the go-ahead run. Cashion followed when she drilled a home run to left to give ASU a three-run cushion that Caitlin Wainright made hold up to secure the win.
Elon scored the game's first runs in the second inning when Hannah Shelton reached on an error that brought in two Phoenix runs.
The Mountaineers tied the score in the fifth when Boyd led off with a single and was followed by a McKenzie Phillips hit. Michelle Lighton battled to a full count and hit the eighth pitch of the at bat to left field for a double to bring in Boyd and Phillips to tie the game.
ASU had its chances to win the game before the eighth, as they had a runner on base in every inning.
Michelle Gorzelle, Rembielak, Boyd and Cashion all had two hits apiece for ASU.
Wainright was solid in the circle again, scattering just six hits and not allowing an earned run and struck out five.
ASU was unable to get on track in game two, falling 1-0.
The Phoenix jumped on top in the bottom of the first when Jackie Gonzalez led off with a triple and Emerald Graham drove her in with a single and the only run of the game.
ASU managed just two hits, a Sarah Rappe single in the sixth and a Boyd single in the seventh. In the seventh, Boyd led off with a single, advanced to second on a ground out but was unable to advance any further.
Frannie Seader suffered the loss, pitching a complete game allowing just three hits and the one run.
Lauren Taylor pitched a two-hitter for Elon, striking out four in the shutout.
ASU and Elon play the final game of the series tomorrow at 1 p.m.
