SAN MARCOS, TEXAS - The Appalachian State Mountaineers (31-23, 13-13 SBC) fell to the UL Monroe Warhawks (12-40, 8-17 SBC) on Wednesday in the first round of the Sun Belt Softball Championship.
With the loss, ULM moves on to face Texas State and the Mountaineers bring their season to a close.
The Mountaineers put together a 31-win season for only the second time in program history and made an appearance in the Sun Belt Softball Championship for the first time in program history. Kenzie Longenecker recorded 14 wins, good for the second most wins by an App State pitcher while
Jenny Dodd led the Sun Belt and remained in the top 10 in the nation in walks with 42 on the year.
Longanecker was also the first Mountaineer in history named to the All-Sun Belt First Team this season alongside
Keri White who was the third Mountaineers ever to be named to the All-Sun Belt Second Team
Despite the early exit, the Mountaineers managed the second largest improvement of record after finishing the 2018 season 17-35 and 4-20 in conference.
Kenzie Longanecker suffered the loss in the circle after pitching five innings and giving up two runs. Longanecker ends with a 14-8 record on the year.
Sydney Holland pitched the final two innings of the game facing six batters without giving up a run.
Survive and advance was the name of the game and neither team would budge until the fourth inning. The Warhawks struck first as two singles put runners on base. A fielder's choice play in front of home plate squeezed the first run of the game in just before the tag and the Warhawks were on the board, 1-0.
The fifth inning would follow suit as two doubles by ULM brought home another run and added pressure to the Mountaineers offense.
Keri White managed a single in the sixth inning but any support throughout the rest of the lineup couldn't be found. App State was unable to rally in the seventh inning as they fell 2-0 and watched ULM advance.
"We will not let this game take away from the season that we did have," said head coach Shelly Hoerner. "Our program has set a new standard and I am very proud of them."
