STATESBORO, GA. – The Sun Belt softball series between App State and Georgia Southern will come down to game three as the two teams split the Friday doubleheader. The Eagles (10-21, 3-10 SBC) took the first game 11-3 (6 inn.) and the Mountaineers (21-11, 5-6 SBC) bounced back to take game two 6-3.
Game 1
The Eagles jumped out to an early lead, putting runners on first and third in the bottom of the first with a single, a Mountaineer error and a fielder's choice. Janai Conklin stepped up to the plate and knocked a home run over the left field fence to give Georgia Southern a 3-0 lead.
App State battled back in the third, plating one off an
Emily Parrott home run, her second of the season. Bailee Wilson quickly answered for the Eagles in the bottom half of the third, hitting a solo shot of her own. Georgia Southern would take the 4-1 lead into the fourth.
The top of the fifth was another successful inning for the Mountaineers.
Mary Pierce Barnes started App Sate with a single, followed by Parrott reaching safely on an error.
Keri White walked to load the bases for
Caylie Kifer. Kifer then was hit by a pitch to bring in a run. After
Baylee Morton reached on a fielder's choice,
Kayt Houston walked to bring in the Mountaineers' third run. A foul out ended the inning for App State, but not before they cut into Georgia Southern's lead.
Georgia Southern did not let the Mountaineers come close the remainder of the game, scoring two in the bottom of the fifth and five in the bottom of the sixth to take the 11-3 win in six innings.
Kenzie Longanecker (11-4) received the loss in the circle for App State, making the start and throwing two innings, giving up four runs before
Camryn Brazile came on in relief. Brazile threw three innings, giving up four runs as well before
Taylor Nichols finished the game in the sixth, giving up three runs.
Wilson ended game one with three hits and four RBIs for the Eagles. Aaliyah Garcia (3-4) earned the win in the circle while Kyleigh Richardson received her first save of the season, coming on in the fifth to finish out the game.
Game 2
The Mountaineers rebounded in game two, taking an early lead in the top of the first and tacking another on in the second for the 4-0 lead.
Keri White and Kifer started the first with singles, followed by a single up the middle from Houston, scoring White.
Sidney Russell followed it up with a single to load the bases.
Gabby Buruato continued her solid day at the plate, hitting a single up the middle to score Kifer.
Mary Pierce Barnes finished off the scoring with a single through the left side to score Houston. Houston also had an RBI in the second, scoring White who singled and stole second to set up the hit from Houston.
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th year senior
Sydney Holland (6-4) shut the Eagles down in the circle, not allowing a hit until the fourth inning, striking out one on the day and giving up two hits. She would earn the win for the Mountaineers.
Georgia Southern was held scoreless until the bottom of the fifth when the Eagles recorded their first runs. A walk and a throwing error put runners on first and third to set up for the score when Georgia Southern plated its first run on a double steal. Shayla Smith then homered to center field to bring in the Eagles' final two runs of the game.
Delani Buckner came in to pitch for the Mountaineers in the bottom of the sixth, holding the Eagles scoreless for the remainder of the game to earn the first save of her career. The freshman struck out one in her two innings of work, giving up two hits.
The Mountaineers added some insurance in the seventh, with Buruato opening the inning with a triple. Barnes singled to bring her in and Parrott doubled down the left field line to bring in Barnes. From there, Buckner and the Mountaineer defense shut down the Eagles to take the second game win.
Game three will be the deciding game of the series and will now be played with a 1 p.m. first pitch on Saturday.
