NASHVILLE, Tenn.- Amid growing concerns for the weather that would be moving into the Nashville area, Appalachian State University softball (5-10) played what would have been its first game tomorrow, today and fell to Butler, 5-0 at Draper Diamond on the first day of the Lady Bison Classic.
The Bulldogs tallied at least a single run in the first, fourth and fifth innings and two in the third off seven hits and two errors to down the Mountaineers.
Junior Megan Rembielak earned the first Black and Gold hit in the top of the first frame by singling through the left side of the Bulldog defense after senior Katie Boyd (Walkertown, N.C./North Forsyth) looked at strike three to lead off. But sophomore Meghan Smith popped into a double play in the next at bat to erase Rembielak and end the inning for ASU.
Back-to-back Mountaineer errors to begin the Butler half of the first inning came back to bite ASU. Erin Jackson got on via an error by senior McKenzie Phillips and teammate Kayla Gray reached on an error by senior Hannah Dow to put runners on first and second. Erin Falkenberry then laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance both runners up one more base with one out. Lauren McNulty then grounded out to Boyd, forcing Boyd to get the sure out at first, allowing Jackson to record the game's first run. Meaghan Sullivan ended the inning by grounding out to Phillips.
Neither team put up any runs in the second and the only ASU player to reach base in the stanza was Dow on an one-out walk.
Sophomore Hayley Grabner used her speed to earn a bunt single to begin the third, but was left on the base path as Appalachian went down in order afterward.
In the home end of the third, the Bulldogs only needed three hits to get tack on two more runs and to build a 3-0 cushion. Lauren Ott started ff with a single to right field and her pinch runner, Emily Schrock, was advanced over to second after Jackson laid down a bunt single to third base. Schrock was forced out at third during the next at bat via a Gray fielder's choice. But McNulty came through with a single right back up the middle, playing Gray and Jackson. Sullivan lined out to shortstop to end the inning before any more damage could be done.
Smith started off ASU's fourth inning by reaching on a miscue by Callie Dennison. Sophomore Allie Cashion followed up with a gapper to right field, placing runners on first and second. Dow flew out to center field, allowing Smith to move over to third, putting Mountaineers on the corners. But back-to-back strikeouts stopped the Apps' momentum and ended the inning.
A Jessica Huey single to shortstop ended sophomore Louise Gibson's day in the circle as she was replaced with junior Caitlin Wainright. Alyssa Coleman laid down another bunt for the Bulldogs, permitting Huey to make the run over to second. Devin Dearing, who came in to pinch hit for Dennison, popped up to Phillips, making it two outs in the inning, but a base knock to left center by Schrock, plated Huey and gave the Bulldogs a 4-0 lead.
In the Mountaineer fifth, Boyd garnered a two-out hit to shortstop to keep the inning alive. Rembielak used her speed to lay down a bunt single to third for her team-leading second hit of the game, but both were left standing as Smith grounded out to second base to end the inning.
Butler put one more run up on the board in the bottom of the fifth and the lead stood through the next two innings, despite the Apps scattering two more baserunners.
Gibson (1-3) took the loss while Butler's Jennifer Chasteen (2-1) got the complete-game shutout.
The Mountaineers were led by Rembielak and Grabner's two hits, which were season highs for both.
Appalachian will take to the field again tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. against Lipscomb. Due to the weather concerns, check back to www.GoASU.com for the latest news and updates from the Lady Bison Classic.
