TEMPE, Ariz.- Appalachian State University softball (0-3) dropped a pair of games at the Kajikawa Classic on Friday afternoon to North Texas 6-0 and Oklahoma 8-0 in five innings.
In the first game of the day against North Texas, sophomore Hayley Grabner grounded out to start the top of the first, but senior Sarah Rappe tripled in the next at bat. Sophomore Meghan Smith and senior Katie Boyd struck out to end the inning, leaving Rappe stranded on third.
Senior Hannah Dow sat down the side on three groundouts and the Mountaineers went into the second inning with momentum.
Junior Michelle Lighton walked to start the top of the second and sophomore Allie Cashion singled into right field to give the Apps back-to-back runners for the first time during the tournament. ASU was not able to put the ball into play for the rest of the inning and both were left stranded.
The Black and Gold put together another three-up, three-down inning in the bottom of the second, but Grabner and Rappe struck out swinging to start the third frame. Smith drew a two-out walk, but Boyd popped out to third base to end the inning.
ASU then let the Mean Green score six runs off eight hits and one error in the third, fourth and fifth innings and were not able to recover.
The Mountaineers were hitless for the rest of the game until Smith got on base for the second time of the day by lacing a hit into right field in the top of the sixth inning.
Sophomore Frannie Seader, who came in relief of Dow, sat down the side in the final frame and completed the game for Appalachian.
In the second game of the day, sophomore Louise Gibson, who had only seen action in one previous game, made her second appearance in a Mountaineer uniform and threw a complete game against a potent Sooner offense that defeated Cal State Bakersfield, 11-2.
Junior Michelle Lighton also had a solid day behind the plate and threw out OU's Brianna Turang on a steal attempt. Turang went 20-for-25 last season and had been perfect heading into today's game.
ASU is back on the diamond at 11:30 a.m. (ET) against San Jose State and again against Nevada at 4:30 p.m. (ET) at the Tempe Sports Complex.
