TROY, Ala. - In a matchup that nearly mirrored each other, the Mountaineers dropped both games in the games one and two doubleheader against Troy on Friday. App State (28-16, 11-8 SBC) was shut out 0-5 in game one and fell 5-6 in game two to Troy (34-14, 16-5 SBC).
Game 1
Sydney Holland suffered the loss in the circle in game one. Holland finished with five strikeouts and three walks giving up five hits on the day. It is her seventh game this season with five or more strikeouts.
The Mountaineers managed only two hits in the loss.
Ally Walters and
Mary Pierce Barnes combined for App State's only hits, a single a piece.
The Trojan pitcher, Leanna Johnson, excelled in the two-hit shutout as she tallied 16 strikeouts in game one, good for 11th most nationally in a game this season.
Troy stuck first with a two run home run in the bottom of the third inning. The Mountaineers played great defense between innings until the Trojans were able to capitalize again with a single and a triple in the bottom of the fifth to bring home three more runs and set the score at 5-0.
Game 2
The Mountaineers set the tone early for game two. In the top of the first,
Caylie Kifer doubled to left field to get the bats started. After a passed ball and a Trojan error, Kifer scored and started the Mountaineers off in a different direction this game.
A handful of walks and a double by Allison Durrence brought home three more runs in
Haley Stewart,
Mary Pierce Barnes, and
Ally Walters and the Mountaineers were up 4-0.
Troy battled back scoring one run in each of the first, fourth and sixth innings.
In the fifth inning,
Keri White and Barnes singled to put runners on who would eventually score the fifth run for the Mountaineers.
With one out in the bottom of the seventh inning, a Trojan double would force the hand of the Mountaineer bullpen to bring back Holland in relief for
Taylor Nichols.
Holland forced the next batter to ground out to third leaving one out left in the game. With runners on first and second, Troy hit a shot landing on the right field line and staying fair. Both runners would score with the game ending on a walk-off triple for the Trojans.
Sydney Holland suffered the loss again in the circle bringing her record to 11-8 on the season.
The Mountaineers look to avoid the sweep on Saturday with first pitch set for 2 p.m. EST. App State Softball thanks AutoStar Nissan of Boone for presenting the 2019 Softball Season.
