BOONE, N.C. – Appalachian State looks to continue their four-game win streak with a home doubleheader against Gardner-Webb on Wednesday, Mar. 13. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.
The Apps continue their best start in program history with their first-ever Sun Belt sweep this weekend over Georgia Southern. The team is 13-6 overall with a 3-0 start to conference play.
App State split the doubleheader in their last meeting with Gardner-Webb in 2018. The Apps took game one, 6-1. In the top of the first inning, the Apps scored early with a walk from
Keri White and a home run from
Jenny Dodd to put up two.
In game two of the doubleheader last season, the two teams were tied up at 4-4; but the Bulldogs came out victorious with five runs off of five hits in the bottom of the fifth inning. The Bulldogs took the 7-9 win.
Scouting the Running Bulldogs
At the end of the 2018 season, Gardner-Webb led the Big South Conference offensively with a .312 team batting average. Andria Booth held the highest batting average of the Big South, finishing with a .477 average. However, the Running Bulldogs were ranked seventh out of eight with a 5.25 ERA.
In 2019, the Running Bulldogs have a 14-8 start on the season before conference play begins March 22. The team welcomes five freshmen in addition to transfer Brooke Perry, who sat out last year after transferring from Purdue University.
Senior Kaylee Wacaster was named Big South Player of the Week on March 4 after an 8-hit weekend with 3 triples, 6 RBI and 8 runs scored.
Senior Booth leads the offense with a .431 batting average. Brooke Perry holds a team-high 4 home runs and 9 doubles while K. Wacaster has produced 5 triples, a team best. Perry also has the 30 RBI for the highest on the team, making her an offensive threat.
Gardner-Webb is 2-2 on the road so far this season, as they take on the Mountaineers who are undefeated at home this season (2-0).
Scouting the Mountaineers
Junior
Keri White, the leading Mountaineer with a .388 batting average, currently holds a nine-game hitting streak. Senior
Jenny Dodd has reached base in 16 straight games with a team-best 17 walks.
Junior transfer
Sydney Holland remains the pitcher with the lowest ERA at 1.52, good for third best in the Sun Belt. Junior
Kenzie Longanecker follows with a 2.87 ERA as the seventh in the league.
