ATHENS, Ga. — App State Softball went 2-0 on the opening day of the Bulldog Classic, winning 5-4 against Ohio and 9-1 against UMass.
The Mountaineers (9-6) will face the same two teams Saturday before closing the event with a Sunday game against No. 15 Georgia.
Addison Jones went 4-for-8 with three doubles in the two games thanks to a 3-for-5 showing that included two doubles, two RBIs and two runs scored in Game 2.
Kaylie Northrop went the distance while allowing just an unearned run against UMass, and
Delani Buckner,
Sejal Neas (relief win) and
Taylor Nichols (save) pitched in Game 1.
GAME 1 RECAP
A three-run top of the first inning gave App State early control, and the Mountaineers led 5-2 entering the bottom of the sixth inning.
Ohio scored twice in the sixth and still had the bases loaded with one out, but Nichols induced a foul-out and recorded a strikeout to keep the Mountaineers in front. The Bobcats led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a double before a strikeout, groundout and strikeout with Nichols on the mound ended the game.
Mary Pierce Barnes hit a two-run double and
McKenzie McCullen followed that with an RBI double in the three-run first.
Emma Jones' second-inning double set up an RBI single by
Kayt Houston, and McCullen homered in the third inning.
GAME 2 RECAP
App State scored in each of the first four innings and gained more separation with a three-run seventh against UMass. Northrop struck out six in her complete-game effort.
The Mountaineers' early runs came on an RBI single from
Baylee Morton (first inning), an RBI single from
Emma Jones (second inning) and a clutch two-run double from
Kennedy Upshire (third inning). Houston hit an RBI double to bring home
Emily Parrott and Houston scored on a wild pitch in the fourth.
In the seventh inning, McCullen drew a bases-loaded walk, and
Addison Jones capped her big day with a two-run single.
In addition to Jones' three hits, App State got two hits apiece from Parrott, Houston, Morton, Barnes and Upshire.
