As has become a summer tradition, appstatesports.com is counting down Appalachian State University athletics' 30 most memorable games, matches and meets from the 2014-15 academic year. This year's countdown begins on Monday, July 6 and will continue until Tuesday, August 4, the opening day of Appalachian State football's fall camp.
Be sure to check appstatesports.com each day to relive all of the Mountaineers' most lasting memories of an exciting and successful 2014-15.
Softball Tops Tar Heels 4-3; Falls to Gamecocks
February 13, 2015
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Appalachian State University softball made program history on Friday with a 4-3 win over the North Carolina Tar Heels. The win for the Mountaineers was the first all-time against UNC and just the fourth win against an Atlantic Coast Conference opponent. App State is now 4-23 all-time against the ACC, including a 10-4 rout of Syracuse in Boone last season.
Game One: App State 4, North Carolina 3
The Mountaineers (2-4) were on the board right away against the Tar Heels (4-3) in the top half of the first. With the bases empty, Pepper Butler drew a walk to set up Caroline Chambers' second career home run. Chambers deposited the first pitch she saw over the left field wall for an early 2-0 lead.
With that same lead, the Mountaineers would tack on more in the third. In a bases loaded situation, Cara Parker reached via a hit-by-pitch and earned the RBI and extended the lead to 3-0.
Following a Tar Heel pitching change, freshman Heather Josey smoked a hard-hit RBI single into right field to make it 4-0.
The Apps weathered a Tar Heel storm in the fifth inning. After relieving Alissa Schoelkopf in the third, Vanessa Ciocatto surrendered an RBI double before being relieved by Katherine Johnson. Coming in with a runner at second base, Johnson gave up an RBI single to center.
Later in the fifth, with the score 4-2 in favor of Appalachian, the third run for UNC would cross on a fielder's choice. Johnson would end the inning with a strikeout to halt the Tar Heel offense.
UNC would manage just one hit the rest of the way. Schoelkopf re-entered the game in the seventh inning and got a ground out to end the game. The win went to Johnson, her second of the season, while Schoelkopf earned her second save.
Game Two: South Carolina 5, App State 0
Facing one of the top pitchers in the Southeastern Conference proved to be a challenge for the Mountaineers in the second game of the afternoon.
The Gamecock's Nicki Blue pitched six shutout innings and allowed just one hit, while striking out five. Cynthia Gomez singled to lead off the fourth inning for the Mountaineers' lone hit.
The game remained scoreless through three innings, before South Carolina broke through for three runs in the fourth. The Gamecock's got a two-run single and an RBI double to take the 3-0 lead.
Two more Gamecock runs crossed in the sixth for the 5-0 lead and eventual final score. Ciocatto received the start and pitched two innings and allowed just three hits and struck out one.
Johnson came in and pitched 1.1 innings, allowing two hits and three earned. Schoelkopf pitched the remaining 3.2 innings and and allowed three hits and two runs, but fanned a game-high six hitters.
The Mountaineers will return to action tomorrow morning with a first pitch at 10 a.m. against the Presbyterian Blue Hose.
APPALACHIAN STATE ATHLETICS MOST MEMORABLE MOMENTS OF 2014-15
No. 30: Baseball 5, ETSU 4 (May 12, 2015)
No. 29: Softball 14, Georgia State 5 (April 12, 2015)
No. 28: Women's Tennis 5, North Carolina Central 1 (February 22, 2015)
No. 27: Field Hockey 5, Pacific 4 (October 25, 2014)
No. 26: Men's Tennis 7, Georgia Southern 0 (March 17, 2015)
No. 25: Men's Basketball 74, Arkansas State 73 (January 3, 2015)
No. 24: Volleyball 3, Troy 2 (September 21, 2014)
No. 23: Women's Soccer 3, Troy 2 – 2 OT (October 10, 2014)
No. 22: Men's Soccer 1, NJIT 0 (November 13, 2014)
No. 21: Mike Longo Wins SoCon Championship at 141-weight class (March 7, 2015)
No. 20: Football 45, Idaho 28 (November 29, 2014)
No. 19: Softball 5, Pittsburgh 2 (February 20, 2015)
No. 18: Baseball 9, No. 16 Maryland 7 (February 28, 2015)
No. 17: Volleyball 3, Tennessee 0 (August 30, 2014)
No. 16: Baseball 2, UL Lafayette 1 (May 1, 2015)
No. 15: Football 37, Arkansas State 32 (November 15, 2014)
No. 14: Women's Basketball 70, Arkansas State 69 (January 15, 2015)
No. 13: Men's Basketball 65, Virginia Tech 63 (November 22, 2014)
No. 12: Football 35, UL Lafayette 16 (November 22, 2014)
No. 11: Men's Cross Country Finishes Second in Sun Belt (November 2, 2014)
No. 10: Women's Cross Country Takes Second in Sun Belt (November 2, 2014)
No. 9: Men's Golf Wins Cleveland State Invitational (September 29, 2014)
No. 8: Women's Golf Wins Cape Fear National Intercollegiate (March 16, 2015)
No. 7: Softball 4, North Carolina 3 (February 13, 2015)
