CLINTON, S.C. — App State Softball swept a pair of Saturday games at the PC Invitational, winning 5-1 against Detroit Mercy and 13-0 in five innings against North Carolina Central.
On Sunday, App State is scheduled to face Detroit Mercy at 10 a.m. and event host Presbyterian at 2 p.m.
Improving to 4-1 this season while winning by a combined score of 18-1 on Saturday, the Mountaineers benefited from pitcher
Kaylie Northrop's complete game in the opener and a scoreless four innings in Game 2 from
Delani Buckner, who struck out eight batters while giving up just one hit.
Kenzi Lyall made her App State debut to close out Game 2, struck out the side in the fifth and combined with Buckner on the one-hit shutout.
Offensively, the Mountaineers erupted for a four-run top of the first inning against Detroit Mercy and led 2-0 against N.C. Central before scoring six times in the fourth inning and five times in the fifth to trigger a run-rule ending.
Emily Parrott hit a two-run single before scoring a run herself during the four-run first against Detroit Mercy, and
Baylee Morton homered in the sixth inning.
After she posted two hits in Game 1,
McKenzie McCullen's three-run homer was part of a four-RBI outing in Game 2, while the Mountaineers got two hits apiece from
Kayt Houston,
Addie Wray and Kyle LaRousa. App State got two runs apiece from Wray and
Emma Jones, who joined McCullen,
Mary Pierce Barnes and
Abby Cunningham in producing multiple RBIs.
GAME 1 RECAP
Detroit Mercy brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the seventh inning, but Northrop stranded the bases loaded by inducing a pop-out to the mound.
Jones walked to open the game and moved to third on Houston's double before Parrott singled to drive in both teammates. Parrott stole third and scored on a one-out wild pitch, then App State added another run as Barnes walked, stole second and scored on McCullen's two-out single.
Morton homered for the 24th time in her career right after Detroit Mercy pushed across its first run, and Northrop ended up striking out six batters while allowing five hits in seven innings.
GAME 2 RECAP
App State again struck in the top of the first inning, as Jones walked and moved to second on a Houston single. After a double steal and walk, Jones scored on a sacrifice fly from Barnes.
The Mountaineers added another run in the second, when Wray tripled with two away and scored on a Jones double.
Buckner recorded five strikeouts in the first two innings, and five runs in the six-run fourth occurred with two outs.
Addison Jones scored on an
Emma Jones sacrifice fly, Wray rushed home on a Parrott single and Parrott scored on a Barnes single leading up to the three-run homer by McCullen, who totaled 19 homers at Queens from 2019-21.
Houston, Cunningham (two-run single) and McCullen contributed RBIs in the fifth inning.
