BOONE, N.C. – Appalachian State University softball dropped both games of a doubleheader on Friday to Georgia Southern. App State fell 6-5 in an eight inning thriller and then took a five inning 17-3 defeat in Game Two.

Game One: Georgia Southern 6, App State 5 F/8

The Mountaineers (9-23, 0-14 Sun Belt) jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first inning when Tiffany Taynor singled home Sarah Warnock.

In the third inning, the Eagles (10-25, 3-11 Sun Belt) came back with two runs on a sac fly and an RBI single.

Dani Heichen would tie the game on a fielder's choice that scored Cara Parker to knot the game at 2-2 after four innings.

Georgia Southern would take a 3-2 lead in the sixth on an RBI single, but Appalachian would come right back in the bottom half scratching across a run on a passed ball and an error to tie the game at 3-3.

Kaitlyn Hamilton gave the Eagles a 5-3 lead in the seventh off of a two-run homer.

After leading off the game with an RBI single, Taynor would come to the plate with a runner on first and proceed to deposit a pitch over the left field wall and tie the game again with two outs in the seventh.

In extra innings the Eagles got an RBI double from Johnson for the 6-5 lead and eventual victory.

Katherine Johnson started and pitched 6.1 innings, surrendering four runs (three earned) on seven hits to go with five walks and four strikeouts.

Both Alissa Schoelkopf and Vanessa Ciocatto pitched the last 1.2 innings in relief.

Schoelkopf entered the game in the seventh and pitched one third of an inning. The senior was responsible for the Eagles' go ahead two-run homer. In 1.1 innings, Ciocatto gave up one run on two hits.

Game Two: Georgia Southern 17, App State 3

In Game Two, the Eagles scored five runs in the first two innings and 10 total runs with two outs, including 12 total runs in the fourth and fifth innings.

App State was in a 10-0 hole before they got on the scoreboard in the fourth inning. In a pinch hit situation, Katie Mathewson drove a double to the gap in right-center field to score Appalachian's first two runs. The Mountaineers would score once more on an RBI groundout from Heichen.
Ciocatto started in the circle and pitched 2.2 innings and gave up five runs on eight hits, while striking out two and walking one.

In relief, Katie Williford let up four runs on two hits in two innings of work. Williford also walked two in the outing.

In her 2015 pitching debut, Taynor pitched one third of an inning and allowed eight runs (six earned) on five hits, while walking two.

The Mountaineers will return to action for the series finale against Georgia Southern on Saturday. First pitch is slated for 1:30 p.m. from Sywassink/Lloyd Family Stadium.