BUIES CREEK, N.C. - Appalachian State University softball dropped a 9-0 decision in five innings to Loyola-Chicago for Saturday's first game, but bounced back nicely to defeat Campbell 16-9 and split the twinbill. App State snapped a two-game skid against the Camels and beat them for the first time since 2007.
"Today was a great test for our character," said head coach Janice Savage. "To be down by seven against Campbell and come back to win shows how much our team can achieve if we continue to fight. I'm proud of them for not giving up and continuing to believe."
The Mountaineers now sit at 4-14 overall, the Ramblers improved to 10-3 and the Camels have lost two of their last three falling to 5-8 on the season. App State managed only two hits in game one, one each from Jenny Dodd and Cara Parker, but the bats came to life against Campbell.
Against the Camels, the Black and Gold recorded season highs in runs scored (16), RBI (16), walks (11), hit-by-pitches (five), and runners left on base (13). The first four batters in the lineup went a combined 7-for-15 (.467) with nine runs scored and 12 RBI, six of which came from Heather Josey in the cleanup spot. Josey became the first Mountaineer with six RBI in a game since April 15, 2006 when Kasey Motsinger accomplished the feat against UNCG.
Game One: Loyola-Chicago 9, App State 0 (5 Inn.)
Loyola-Chicago scored two runs in the first, six in the second and one in the third, all on seven hits. Annaleise Kennedy (1-3) lasted 1.2 innings and gave up four earned runs on four hits. In relief, Katherine Johnson went a third of an inning with five runs surrendered, one earned, and Claire Eosso pitched the final two frames without giving up a hit.
Game Two: App State 16, Campbell 9
In game two, innings one through three were polar opposites of innings four through seven. Entering the top of the fourth, the Mountaineers found themselves down 7-0 to Campbell and had tallied just two hits. The momentum changed hands quickly, though, as App State rattled off 13 unanswered runs amongst seven in the fourth, one in the fifth, five in the sixth, and three in the seventh.
In the game-tying fourth inning, the Black and Gold batted around plus three batters and at one point, chalked up five-straight RBI hits. Six of the seven hits were singles and the seventh was a double from Pepper Butler, while all seven runs came in with one out.
Appalachian State's fifth-inning run came when Parker drew a bases-loaded walk that scored Butler.
In the top of the sixth, another bases-loaded walk, this time from Dodd, forced in Maddy Bloom and the next four runs came from Josey's first-career grand slam/ninth-career home run, a shot to right field. At that point, the Mountaineers were up 13-7 and in complete control.
The Campbells cut the deficit to four, 13-9, with two runs of their own in the bottom the sixth, but App State put it the game away with three more runs in the top half of the seventh. Butler singled in a run, Dodd was hit by a pitch to force in another and Josey earned her sixth RBI with a fielder's choice to round out the scoring.
"Heather stepped up in a crucial spot for us and delivered," added Savage. "That kind of leadership from a sophomore is really exciting for us. We are hoping to continue to build off of that for tomorrow leading into conference play next weekend."
Vanessa Ciocatto got the start and threw 2.2 innings with seven runs given up, but only three were earned. Kennedy (2-3) got her second-career win with 4.1 frames of work, two runs surrendered, just one earned, three walks and five strikeouts.
Sunday, the Mountaineers will close out their play in the Camel Stampede against Loyola-Chicago with first pitch set for 11 a.m.
