BOONE, N.C.- Seniors
Katie Boyd and
Hannah Dow and junior
Megan Rembielak all hit home runs to propel Appalachian State University softball (10-13, 4-2 SoCon) to its third regular-season sweep of Elon (13-10, 2-4 SoCon), 9-1, in program history on Sunday afternoon at Sywassink/Lloyd Family Stadium in Boone.
After a groundout by Elon's Tomeka Watson to leadoff the game, Pam DelPizzo launched her second home run of the season over the left field wall to give the Phoenix a 1-0 lead. Emerald Graham struck out looking in the next at-bat, but Carleigh Nester walked to give Elon their first base runner. Nester then tried to steal second, but was thrown out by junior Michelle Lighton to end the inning.
To begin Appalachian's half of the first inning, Boyd recorded her second leadoff home run of the series and third of the season to knot up the game at 1-1. Rembielak hit a shot to right field, but Emerald Graham was able to track it down for the first out of the inning. Sophomore Meghan Smith walked and sophomore Allie Cashion, who had an impressive series, singled to right field, advancing Smith to second. But Dow grounded into a double play to end the frame.
The Mountaineers tacked on three more runs in the third inning to give ASU's its first lead of the game. As with yesterday's games after Boyd recorded her home run, she was intentionally walked for the rest of the game start the inning. Rembielak used her speed to lay down a bunt single, putting runs on first and second. Smith doubled back up the middle, plating Boyd and moving Rembielak to third. The action prompted Elon head coach Patti Raduenz to bring in Erin O'Shea in place of Lauren Taylor in the circle. Cashion singled through the left side in the next at-bat, bringing home Rembielak for the second run of the inning. The Apps gave up back-to-back strikeouts for the first outs of the inning, but senior McKenzie Phillips singled up the middle. Smith managed to score the third run as Cashion was caught in a rundown and was tagged out to end the inning.
Sophomore Louise Gibson gave up two hits to two of the first three batters to lead off the fourth, but a couple of groundouts and a strikeout quieted down the Phoenix rally.
Sophomore Hayley Grabner singled through the right side to lead off the fourth and senior Sarah Rappe laid down a nice sacrifice bunt to move Grabner over to second. Boyd drew another intentional walk, but Rembielak got ahold of an O'Shea pitch and sent it over the left field fence for her first Black and Gold home run of her career to give Appalachian a 7-1 hold on the Phoenix.
Elon went down in order in the fifth, requiring ASU to only need two more runs to run-rule the Phoenix.
Dow answered with one of those runs to lead off what would be the final stanza by crushing a pitch that just barely missed the roof of the Sofield Family Indoor Practice Facility, giving Appalachian a 8-1 advantage.
Lighton popped up to third base in the next at-bat and M. Phillips walked. Grabner singled for the second time to allow M. Phillips to grab second. Rappe popped up to second base for the second out, setting up another intentional walk for Boyd. But as O'Shea was walking Boyd, she lost control of a pitch advancing Grabner and Phillips up a base. With bases now loaded with Mountaineers, the watchful eye of Rembielak allowed her to let O'Shea walk in the game-running run.
Rembielak, Cashion and Grabner all recorded two hits each, while Boyd notched three runs. Rembielak also added a game-high four RBIs to her stat line.
Gibson (3-3) picked up the complete-game victory, allowing one run on six hits, while only walking one. She also added two strikeouts. Taylor (8-5) was charged with her second loss of the series.
The three Mountaineer home runs ties for second in single-games in ASU history.
The Apps are back in action on Wednesday, March 23, in a doubleheader against Charlotte at 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. at Sywassink/Lloyd. Due to inclement weather that is expected in the High Country this week, check www.GoASU.com for latest ASU Softball news.
