BOONE, N.C.  – Appalachian State University softball slipped to former SoCon rival Georgia Southern in a Sun Belt Conference doubleheader on Friday at the Sywassink/Lloyd Family Stadium in Boone. Game one went into extra innings, and the Eagles finished out on top, 2-0, and GS snagged game two 10-1, thanks to a seven-run fifth inning.

The Mountaineers (12-26, 0-14 SBC) were held to four hits on the day with Sidney Russell going 2-for-6 crashing out App State's only connection in the first game and making another in the nightcap.

Three Mountaineers made appearances in the circle on Friday, and Kenzie Longanecker fired out five strikeouts, which raises her season total to 97 and puts her tied with Meredith O'Connor (2005) at No. 7 on the single-season strikeouts list.

Game One: Georgia Southern 2 , App State 0 (8 innings)

After a  pitcher's duel dominated regulation only allowing a total of four hits, the scoreboard finally changed from nil-nil in the eighth.

At the top half, Georgia Southern (20-19, 10-7 SBC) opened with a ground out to second but followed reaching first on an error. With the stage set with one out and one on base, Emily Snider stepped up the plate and cleared the bases hitting a two-run homer to take the 2-0 lead.

In the bottom half, the Apps couldn't strike up any offensive momentum and went down in order to end the ballgame.

Russell cranked out her sixth double of the season and Longanecker (8-10) pitched her sixth complete game with five hits, two runs (one earned), three walks and five strikeouts.

Game Two: Georgia Southern 10, App State 1 (5 innings)

Georgia Southern's huge seven-run fifth inning put game two out of reach for the Mountaineers as the Eagles snagged the doubleheader sweep, 10-1.

GS hopped onto the boards early scoring one run off a RBI single and tacked on two more to end the fourth up by three runs.

In the fifth inning, Georgia Southern exploded out to a 10-0 lead adding four off a grand slam and kept the scoring stream going with two consecutive RBI singles and a sacrifice fly.

The Apps tried to respond in the bottom half, but the Eagles limited the Mountaineers to one run off Russell's RBI single and Georgia Southern snatched the victory in five innings.

Vanessa Ciocatto (1-9) started in the circle for the Mountaineers and struck out one Eagle in 4.1 innings, and Claire Eosso came in relief, making her fourth appearance of the season, hurling out one strikeout in 0.2 innings.

Up Next

App State softball will wrap up conference action with Georgia Southern tomorrow, April 15 at 1 p.m. at the Sywassink/Lloyd Family Stadium in Boone.

— appstatesports.com —