BOONE, N.C. – Appalachian State (30-17, 12-8 SBC) will host UTA (24-23, 12-9 SBC) in a three-game Sun Belt series this weekend.
Entering the series, the Mavericks trail the Mountaineers by just half a game as both teams battle for position in the Sun Belt Softball Championship.
APP STATE OFFENSE
The Mountaineers have managed a consistent .246 team batting average this season, relying on hitting in the moments when needed the most to lift them throughout the year.
From the leadoff spot,
Keri White is hitting with a team-best .340 batting average through 159 at bats this season. With 54 hits on the season, White is fourth in the Sun Belt Conference in total hits bringing along with her 20 RBIs and 69 total bases.
Alison Durrence carries a .678 slugging percentage and 12 home runs so far this year, currently tied for second in the Sun Belt.
Jenny Dodd continues to hold on to a conference and team-best 42 walks this season alongside a .450 on-base percentage.
White is also a perfect 12-12 in stolen bases this season helping the Mountaineers dominate the base path as they are currently 43-51 in stolen bases this year.
APP STATE DEFENSE
The Mountaineers are now third in conference with a 2.70 team ERA and 191 strikeouts through 47 games.
Sydney Holland has seen the most action in the last week, heading into the series with a 2.25 ERA. Holland has a 13-8 record on the year with 65 strikeouts.
Kenzie Longanecker goes into the weekend with a 14-4 record and 2.08 ERA, good for second in the Sun Belt. She currently sits at fourth in strikeouts in program history with 89 on the season and 303 in her career.
The Mountaineers have put together a fourth-best Sun Belt defense with a .970 fielding percentage.
Caylie Kifer and
Sidney Russell hold the keys to the heart of the infield as the Black and Gold have turned 16 double plays this season.
Baylee Morton has held it down behind the plate as she has caught eight runners stealing so far this season, tied for fourth in the Sun Belt.
THE LAST TIME THEY PLAYED
App State is 1-8 in program history against UTA through 9 meetings. In 2018, the Mountaineers fell in each game of a tough weekend series.
Games one and two were played as a doubleheader on Friday. Scoring three runs in the fifth and three in the seventh the Mountaineers tied the game up 6-6, hoping to force extra innings.
After three straight walks, a UTA single brought home the winning run to take game one 7-6.
Games two and three seemed nearly identical for the Mountaineers, dropping both games 3-7 with eight hits in game two and six in game three.
SCOUTING THE MAVERICKS
UTA heads into the series currently in fifth place in the Sun Belt Conference. Coming off a six-game conference win-streak, the Mavericks are looking to their bats to help propel them through the weekend.
Laura Curry leads the team with a .403 batting average, good for second in the Sun Belt conference. Whitney Walton follows close behind with a .386 batting average and team-high .545 slugging percentage.
Raegan Wright is the home run hitter on the team with five on the year currently and a team-high 34 at bats.
While the Mavericks are not the heavy hitters of the Sun Belt, they have proven that they know how to get on base sitting second in the Sun Belt in team batting, accompanying with it a .378 team on-base percentage.
In the circle for the Mavericks, Randi Phillips has seen the most action, entering the weekend with a 12-12 record and 3.55 ERA. Phillips also has 52 strikeouts on the year. Allie Gardiner leads the pitchers with a 2.55 ERA and 5-5 record.
