BOONE, N.C. – Appalachian State split against Western Carolina in a doubleheader on Tuesday, April 3. App State took the first game 8-5 but dropped a heartbreaking second game 4-5. The Apps are now 13-18 overall.
Keri White blasted her first career home run to jumpstart the offense in the first inning of game one. She batted 1.000 in game one (3-3) and went 1-3 in game two.
Jenny Dodd went 3-5 on the day with her fifth home run this season to bring her overall batting average to just under .400 on the season (.397).
Game One (W, 8-5)
Right off the bat, both teams exploded on offense in the first inning. The Catamounts scored two on a two-RBI home run in the top, but White's first career home run over the left field fence started a three-run inning for the Mountaineers.
Laura Sales reached on a fielding error by the first baseman before stealing second base.
Alisha Josey took advantage of the runner in scoring position and singled to centerfield for the RBI.
Jenny Dodd drew a walk, which brought
Heather Josey to the plate. H. Josey reached on an error at third base while A. Josey scored the Apps' third run.
App State scored their fourth run in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Avery Wheatley got on base with a walk before
Ally Walters advanced her to second on a sacrifice bunt.
Megan Walker singled through the left side to put Wheatley just sixty feet from scoring. White produced a double, her third hit in a row, to score Wheatley.
The Apps manufactured three runs on four hits in the bottom of the fifth inning. Singles from Dodd, Wheatley and Walters led to one run. Walker doubled to left center to bring two across the plate for the Mountaineers to put them up 7-2.
The Mountaineers kept the Catamounts to three straight three up, three down innings and prevented them from scoring until the sixth inning. Three solo home runs in a row from Western Carolina lessened the Apps' lead to 7-5 and brought in
Katie Williford to the circle. Western stranded two on base when Williford entered the game.
The Apps scored their final run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Dodd singled to second base before WCU walked three to bring in the eighth run and gave Walters an RBI. With two runners on base in the top of the seventh inning, the Mountaineers sealed the win with a strikeout from Williford.
Eight Mountaineers had at least one hit in game one.
Kenzie Longanecker walked only one batter, and Williford struck out four.
Game Two (L, 4-5)
Both teams continued the trend of scoring in the first inning in game two. The Catamounts put up one run, but the Mountaineers answered with a two-RBI homer from Dodd for her fifth of the season to tie the team lead with A. Josey at five total.
Western Carolina tied it up at 2-2 in the top of the fourth when a single put Addie Pate on base, and E. Hayes scored her on a double. App State regained the lead in the fifth. Wheatley singled through the left side, and White singled to the pitcher. App capitalized on a throwing error from the shortstop on White's hit, and both runners advanced to scoring position. Wheatley scored on a passed ball to put the Apps up, 3-2.
App State scored again in the sixth on Walters' single up the middle after Dodd was hit by a pitch and earned her base.
Gabby Buruato pinch ran for Dodd and was the run across the plate.
Despite the Mountaineers' efforts through six innings, the Catamounts took the lead in the top of the seventh inning when Williford entered the circle for
Callie Kuykendall. A walk, a double, and a sacrifice groundout led to one more run for Western Carolina. With a runner still on base, Pate homered to diminish App State's lead and bring the score to 4-5. App State came up short in the bottom of the inning, and the Catamounts took the win.
Six Mountaineers had a hit apiece in the second game against Western Carolina. White, Sales, Dodd, Walters, Walker and Wheatley each had at least one hit in both games today.
The Mountaineers continue conference play this weekend with a series against Troy in Boone, N.C. on Saturday, April 7 and Sunday, April 8.
