SAN MARCOS, Texas — A big first Sun Belt win during the opening day of the 2022 conference schedule coincided with
Shelly Hoerner's 100th victory as App State Softball's head coach.
The Mountaineers used a 3-2 road win to split a Saturday doubleheader with Texas State, which has played in four of the last five NCAA tournaments and was 25-4 at home last season. The Bobcats won 5-0 to start the doubleheader, and the series finale is scheduled for Sunday at noon ET (11 a.m CT).
Taylor Nichols (3-2) went the distance in App State's second-ever victory against Texas State. She allowed one earned run on five hits while striking out one batter and issuing just one walk.
Kayt Houston and
Mary Pierce Barnes both went 4-for-7 on Saturday, and
Baylee Morton drew three walks.
Hoerner reached 100 wins at App State with a program-best career winning percentage of .510, and she increased her overall total to 625 wins as a college head coach.
GAME 2 RECAP
Texas State trailed by two when it opened the bottom of the seventh inning with a double, and a groundout occurred before the bases were cleared on a wild pitch/error that allowed the runner to score from second. Nichols forced a flyout and groundout to seal the win.
Two of App State's three runs came on bases-loaded walks, with
McKenzie McCullen drawing one in the top of the first inning and Morton pushing the lead to 3-1 with one in the top of the seventh inning.
The Mountaineers took the lead for good in the third inning, breaking a 1-1 tie on
Kati Waalk's hard-hit RBI single to right-center to score Barnes. The inning had begun with an infield single by Barnes and a walk to Morton.
First-inning singles with two away from Houston and Barnes, followed by a walk to Morton, set up McCullen's run-scoring walk. Consecutive singles by
Emily Parrott, Houston and Barnes to open the seventh inning preceded a four-pitch walk to Morton.
Texas State stranded only four runners on base, as Nichols retired the side in order in the second, fourth and fifth innings. The tying run was left at third on a groundout to second baseman
Addie Wray to end the sixth — that runner had reached on an error.
GAME 1 RECAP
App State collected four hits in a game started by Jessica Mullins but left eight runners on base and went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position.
Texas State scored four times in the third inning off a solo homer, a two-run double and a double steal, with only two of those runs being earned. The Bobcats added a fourth-inning run on a bases-loaded single, but Parrott threw out a runner at the plate from left field to prevent another run from scoring.
So far this season, Parrott and Houston (right fielder) have combined for six outfield assists.
Houston (double), Parrott, Barnes and
Emma Jones recorded one hit apiece to lead the offense.
Delani Buckner suffered her first loss in a starting role while striking out four batters and allowing three earned runs in four innings.
Sejal Neas threw two scoreless innings.
