BOONE, N.C. - Michelle Lighton hit a line drive in the left center gap to score Sarah Rappe and give Appalachian State University softball a 5-4 eight inning win over Georgia Southern Saturday night at Sywassink/Lloyd Family Stadium. Georgia Southern won game one 3-0.
Rappe led off the eighth by reaching base when the GSU first baseman dropped the ball. She advanced to second on a Megan Rembielak sacrifice bunt and moved to third on a Katie Boyd ground out. Cashion followed with a walk to lead up to Lighton's heroics. It is the second time this season that Lighton had a game-winning hit in extra innings, as she hit a grand slam in the eighth inning to beat Samford.
The win snaps ASU's eight-game losing streak to the Eagles.
Appalachian (15-10, 4-4) snapped a nine inning scoreless streak in the third, when Cashion hit a single to score Rappe and Rembielak.
Georgia Southern (17-12, 6-2) tied the score when Megen Smith hit a two-run homer over the right field fence.
The Eagles took the lead in the top of the sixth when MacKenzie Williams hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Hannah Ennis.
ASU stormed back in the bottom half of the inning to retake the lead at 4-3. Hayley Grabner led off with a bunt single and Rappe reached when the GSU pitcher threw the ball away trying to get Grabner. Rembielak sacrificed to move each runner up a base, and after a Boyd intentional walk, Cashion delivered again with a two-run single.
Nina Iduate led off the top of the seventh for GSU and reached on an error, moved to second on a wild pitch and advanced to third on a Kelly Burnett strikeout. Smith tied the score again with a single up the middle.
Lighton and Grabner led ASU with three hits apiece while Rappe, Boyd and Cashion all finished with two hits. Smith led GSU with three hits and three RBI.
Caitlin Wainright picked up the win in relied, allowing one unearned run in two innings while striking out two. Frannie Seader pitched six solid innings for ASU, allowing eight strikeouts, three runs, two earned with one strikeout.
Smith started for GSU, giving up nine hits in four innings. Bri Streetmon suffered the loss, going 3.2 innings giving up four hits and three runs, one earned.
Streetmon scattered just six hits in the opener as Georgia Southern won game one 3-0.
The Eagles got on the board in the top of the third on a Jenny Side two-run homer.
ASU's best chance to score was in the fifth, when Sheridan Phillips and Rappe delivered two-out singles followed by a Rembielak walk, but Streetmon was able to induce a ground out to end the inning.
Wainright pitched her eighth complete game of the season, allowing seven hits and three runs.
Rappe led ASU offensively with two hits while Jenny Side went 3-for-3 with two RBI for the Eagles.
Tomorrow's series finale has been moved up to an 11 a.m. start time due to the impending rain expected to hit the High Country.
