App State Sets Eyes on Pinnacle PC Invitational

CLINTON, S.C. -- App State softball is set to compete four times in the Pinnacle PC Invitational this weekend, hosted by Presbyterian.

On Saturday, the Mountaineers will match up with IUPUI at 10 a.m. and Seton Hall at 12:15 p.m. On Sunday, they will meet the Pirates again at 12:15 p.m. before competing against the Blue Hose at 2:30 p.m.

Live stats will be available for all four events, but no stream will occur.

SCOUTING THE MOUNTAINEERS (1-1, 0-0 SBC)

• App State split its opening weekend at Queens, punching 16 hits and 10 runs through two games against the Royals.
• Sejal Neas threw the first six innings of the second contest, punching five strikeouts and allowing only one run. Offensively, three home runs were hit by the Black & Gold throughout the day, including a 3-run bomb by Kylie LaRousa in the second game.
• The Mountaineers return seven starters from last season, including All-Sun Belt selections Kayt Houston and Mary Pierce Barnes.

SCOUTING THE JAGUARS (1-2, 0-0 HL)

• IUPUI won the first of three games at the River City Leadoff, defeating Syracuse before falling to North Florida and Jacksonville.
• Kayla Freiberg posted three hits last weekend and recorded one run and three RBIs.
• App State won its first-ever meeting against the Jaguars just over a year ago, 5-4. Emily Parrott hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh to give the Mountaineers their first win of the 2022 season.

SCOUTING THE PIRATES (0-2, 0-0 BIG EAST)

• Seton Hall dropped its first two games by one run each, falling to Samford and new Sun-Belt member, Southern Miss. Neither team reached three runs in both of the contests.
• Kelsey Carr and Shelby Smith each had shutdown performances in the circle for the Pirates, allowing one run and striking out 18 batters combined.
• App State is 2-4 all-time against Seton hall, dating back to 2004.

SCOUTING THE BLUE HOSE (4-0, 0-0 BIG SOUTH)

• Presbyterian swept its opening weekend during the Pinnacle Blue Hose Invitational, handing two pairs of losses to Toledo and Bellarmine. Three of the four games were shutouts.
• The Jenna Greene/Morgan Hess combination in the circle has translated to a 1.16 ERA in over 24 innings of work, syncing up for 33 K's. Greene was picked as the Preseason Big South Pitcher of the Year.
• Historically, the Mountaineers have won nine of their 11 meetings against the Blue Hose. Presbyterian won the most recent contest in 2022, 8-0.

UP NEXT
App State will compete in three more nonconference weekend series, beginning with a trip to UNCW next weekend when the Mountaineers will face the Seahawks, Georgetown and Eastern Kentucky. App State's first home game will take place on Mar. 8 against North Carolina.