BOONE, N.C. – Appalachian State University softball will hit the road for its third tournament of the young season when it travels for the Blues City Classic in Memphis, Tenn. hosted by the University of Memphis.
The tournament will begin for the Mountaineers on Friday with two games scheduled for the Black and Gold. The Apps will face Murray State at 1 p.m. and the Lipscomb Bisons at 3:30 p.m.
App State will follow up two games on Friday with another pair of games slated for Saturday. The Mountaineers will face Alabama A&M at 11 a.m. and challenge Missouri State at 4 p.m.
Appalachian will round out the weekend with a single game on Sunday when they take on Evansville at 11 a.m.
Last weekend the Mountaineers had almost their entire schedule at the Buffalo Wild Wings Spartan Invitational wiped out due to snow, but salvaged one game against Presbyterian on Sunday. The Apps defeated the Blue Hose 4-1 behind Shivaun Landeros' complete game and game-winning three-run home run in the first win of the season. Ashley Seering hit her second home run of the season in the game as well.
SCOUTING THE RACERS
Murray State began the season at the Tiger Classic garnering wins over both Central Arkansas and Oklahoma State before competing in the Alabama State Hornet Invite and defeating Gardner-Webb, Alabama State and fellow Blues City Classic participant Alabama A&M.
The Racers return 12 letterwinners, including six starters while also welcoming seven newcomers in 2014. Alex Becker leads the team in hitting with a .429 average while seeing action in all seven games. Becker capped 2013 batting .311 with 12 home runs and 32 runs batted in.
CheyAnne Gaskey returns to the circle for the Racers after posting 13 wins and a 2.53 ERA in 38 appearances with 15 complete games and 148 strikeouts in 169 innings. This season, Gaskey leads the team in innings pitched with 20 and has three wins and 17 strikeouts in four appearances.
Kara Amundson returns for her second season at the helm of the Racers softball program. Murray State began its softball program in 2010.
SCOUTING THE BISONS
The Mountaineers matchup with the Bisons of Lipscomb will be their third all-time meeting with the series tied 1-1. The last game played was in 2011 and went to the Bisons, 3-0.
Lipscomb is off to a lightning fast start in 2014 with eight wins in nine games. The Bisons have marquee wins over Virginia Tech, Iowa and Baylor to this point. Behind nine home runs, Lipscomb has scored 56 runs so far this season.
Paige Neely leads the Bisons in hitting with a .500 average, which includes two homers and 10 RBI. Neely batted .326 a year ago while stealing 13 bases and scoring 37 runs.
Tanner Sanders has started the season 5-0 and carries a 1.48 ERA in 28.1 innings. Sanders has three complete games in five appearances.
Kristin Ryman returns for her ninth season as the head coach of the softball program and has posted 257 wins in her career.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
Alabama A&M is off to a 6-3 start to the 2014 campaign, while participating in two tournaments to this point.
Taiya McInnes leads the Bulldogs in batting with a .519 average with nine runs batted in. A&M has hit one home run this season and it belongs to Anissa Britt, a returning all-conference player. Britt batted .352 with three home runs and 23 RBI in 2013. Cassandra Brown leads pitchers with three of the team's six wins this season while pitching 19 innings.
In nine games the Bulldogs have stolen 18 bases on 19 attempts and scored 51 runs.
SCOUTING THE BEARS
Missouri State is off to a 6-2 start this season, which includes a win at Georgia Tech and claiming a UTA Maverick Invitational championship.
Bethany Sullinger is off to a fast start with three home runs and 10 runs batted in and hitting .478 this season. Ciara Flau leads the team in hitting with a .500 average and is tied for the team lead with five runs scored.
Pitcher Erin Struemph has appeared in six games with three starts. Struemph is 3-1 with a 1.80 ERA in 23.1 innings which includes 29 strikeouts and two complete games.
Holly Hesse is now in her 26th season at the helm of Missouri State softball and has won 652 games in her career – all at Missouri State.
SCOUTING THE PURPLE ACES
Evansville is 2-2 to start the 2014 season. The Purple Aces return 10 letterwinners, including three starters and two pitchers. The team also welcomes nine newcomers for the 2014 campaign.
Megan Gurski leads the team in hitting with a .462 average in four games. Susan Norris and Kayla Fortner have hit both home runs for the Purple Aces this season. Fortner was named 2014 Missouri Valley Conference preseason all-conference in the outfield.
Emily Morris leads the team with 11 innings pitched and carries a 2.55 ERA with seven strikeouts.
Mark Redburn returns for his fifth season at the helm of Evansville softball and currently holds a record of 71-143 in four seasons.
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Mountaineers will travel to Charleston, S.C. for the Charleston Southern Tournament beginning Feb. 28 and going through Mar. 2. The Apps will face Colgate, Charleston Southern, Eastern Illinois with two games being decided based off of seeds.
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