Mountaineers Complete Season Sweep of ETSU

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. -- The App State softball team (25-18) traveled to ETSU (5-39) on Tuesday and picked up a pair of shutout victories to sweep the Bucs in a midweek doubleheader. The Mountaineers tabbed an 8-0 win in six innings of play to open the day before winning the five-inning nightcap by the same score line.
 
The two wins extends the Mountaineers' non-conference winning streak to six games. The streak started with a midweek sweep of ETSU earlier this season, back on April 6.
 
GAME 1
The Mountaineers got on the board early, scoring one run in each of the first three innings. A leadoff single from Emma Jones started things off before she eventually scored on a wild pitch. Another leadoff single in the second inning, this time from Addie Wray, helped double the advantage after she came home following an ETSU fielding error.
 
Kayt Houston recorded a single to start the top of the third inning. Two at bats later, an RBI-groundout from Baylee Morton did enough to drive in Houston. Some clever baserunning from Claire Carson led to another run, putting the Mountaineers up 4-0.
 
The highlight of the day came in the top of the sixth when Houston unloaded the bases with a grand slam to left center. The four-run blast gave the sophomore her league-leading twelfth home run of the season.
 
Delani Buckner got the start, picking up the complete-game performance. She gave up just two hits, fanning six Bucs en route to her 11^th victory of the season.
 
GAME 2
Much like the opening contest, App State jumped out to an early lead. Jones once again scored the game's opening run after Mary Pierce Barnes crushed a shot off the wall to bring her home.
 
The Mountaineers took control in the second inning, plating five runs. McKenzie McCullen started things off with a leadoff double. Just a few pitches later, Taylor Thorp's shot to deep left brought McCullen and Wray home. Emily Parrott's two-RBI single to left field then scored Jones and Thorp to put the Mountaineers up 6-0.
 
Thorp added to App State's advantage in the top of the third inning after she tallied her first home run of the season. Her two-run bomb to left field also drove in Kathleen Barton.
 
Sejal Neas tossed the complete-game shutout, giving up just two hits and striking out a pair of batters.
 
Houston paced the Mountaineers with three hits, also driving in four runs and scoring twice. McCullen, Wray and Thorp each contributed with two hits. Thorp added a trio of runs batted in and three runs scored.
 
UP NEXT
App State returns to action on Friday when they begin a three-game Sun Belt series against Louisiana. First pitch for Friday's series opener is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. and all three games of the series will be broadcasted on ESPN+.