ATLANTA, Ga.- Despite outhitting Georgia State (5-4), Appalachian State University softball (1-8) fell to the Panthers, 3-0, on Sunday afternoon at Bob Heck Field. The win gave the Panthers' head coach Bob Heck his 700th career victory and the 800th victory for the GSU program.
The Panthers, who were the visiting team, put up two runs early in the game to set the pace. Jessica Clifton started off the top of the first inning with a single to center field. Whitney Phillips got on via a fielder's choice and Clifton advanced to second. Lauren Jones singled to shortstop and Phillips moved over to second base due to the first Mountaineer error of the game committed by senior shortstop McKenzie Phillips. Clifton plated the first Panther run on the play, putting GSU up 1-0. GSU base runners then stole both second and third base, putting Jones on second and Phillips on third. Paige Nowacki then continued the inning by singling to center field, allowing Phillips to score and Jones to move over to third. Emily Whitaker then helped out the Appalachian defense by hitting into a double play to end the inning.
In the Mountaineer half of the first inning, senior Katie Boyd walked to start the inning, but senior Sarah Rappe grounded out to the pitcher, moving Boyd over to second base. Sophomore Meghan Smith singled to right field, allowing Boyd to move over to third base. But the next two batters got out preventing ASU from scoring.
Appalachian picked up a hit and stolen base from M. Phillips in the second stanza, while shutting down the Panthers in the second and third innings.
ASU got two more hits in the third after Boyd and Rappe singled back-to-back in the bottom of the third, but the Mountaineers were not able to capitalize and left both runners stranded.
Nowacki doubled to center field to start the fourth, but sophomore Frannie Seader picked up two key strikeouts and a groundout to end the Panther assault.
Seader grounded out to third base to start the bottom of the fourth, but M. Phillips, who was hitless coming into today's game, tripled to center field. Junior Megan Rembielak and sophomore Hayley Grabner then both hit into fielder's choices loading up the bases for ASU. But Boyd and Rappe lined out to third base and center field, leaving three Mountaineers stranded.
The Panthers got one more hit in the fifth, but were not able to tack on anymore runs.
Smith garnered a leadoff double to left center field to start the Mountaineer fifth, forcing GSU to doing a pitching change. Sophomore Allie Cashion singled next to left field, allowing Smith to move over to third. Sophomore Sheridan Phillips was called upon to pinch hit for senior Hannah Dow and drew a walk, while Seader hit into another fielder's choice, allowing the Panthers to get the out at home. Two more groundouts forced ASU to leave the bases loaded and not get any runs across the plate.
In the GSU top of the sixth, Jones grounded out to M. Phillips at shortstop for the first out of the inning, but Norwacki followed up with a home run to left field to put the Panthers up, 3-0. Tiffany Bess and Whitaker grounded out to end the inning.
Appalachian got one more baserunner in the bottom of the sixth from a Rappe walk, but that was the last runner they would get on the base path for the remainder of the game, falling 3-0.
Seader notched the second complete game of her career, giving up six hits and three runs, while striking out four.
Smith and M. Phillips led the Mountaineers, offensively, combining for four of ASU's game-high seven hits.
The Mountaineers continue their tournament schedule as they head to Wilmington, N.C. to play in the Hughes Bros. Tires Seahawk Classic hosted by UNC Wilmington Feb. 25-26. First pitch for ASU is at 10 a.m. against Dayton.
