TROY, ALA. – The App State softball team recorded its first win in school history in the Sun Belt Softball Championship Thursday evening, defeating Georgia State 2-1. The Mountaineers advance to Friday and are set to take on #4 seed South Alabama for the second time. First pitch is set for 4 p.m. ET.
App State is now 27-18 on the season and Georgia State finishes 16-30. The Mountaineers face South Alabama after the Jaguars were knocked into the loser's bracket by Louisiana, falling 10-3 Thursday morning.
Sydney Holland was great in the circle for the Mountaineers, pitching the complete game win for her eighth win of the season. The fifth-year senior gave up only four hits and one run which was unearned. She struck out two over her seven innings pitched.
The Mountaineers jumped out to an early lead in the first inning, with
Keri White leading the charge from the start. The third baseman hit a bunt single and advanced to second on a throwing error by the pitcher.
Caylie Kifer moved her to third on a sacrifice bunt and
Kayt Houston scored White as she grounded out to second base.
Georgia State scored its only run in the bottom of the second, capitalizing on two Mountaineer errors. With two outs, Skylar Mosel singled and Olivia Davis reached on a fielding error by the second baseman. Baylee Sexton was able to get on with another Mountaineer error, this time a muffed throw at first base. Mosel scored on the play to tie things up.
Mary Pierce Barnes came up clutch in the top of the fourth, scoring
Gabby Buruato from first base on a double to left center. Buruato reached safely on a single to the pitcher and was the game-winning run.
Holland remained solid throughout the rest of the game and her defense played well behind her, stranding two Panthers in the bottom of the fifth after two singles and shifting the momentum to the Mountaineers for the remainder of the game.
White, Kifer, Buruato and Barnes each had one hit on the day with Houston and Barnes each adding an RBI. For Georgia State, Mosel ended her day with two hits, Sexton and Emily Brown each had one.
Sophie Mooney (7-12) pitched the entire game for Georgia State, giving up four hits and two runs, one of which was earned. She struck out six in her seven innings of work.
The winner of the App State and South Alabama game will play the winner of UTA and Troy at 6:30 p.m. ET.
