MURFREESBORO, TN – App State softball split its opening day at the MTSU Invitational, defeating Southern Illinois 5-2 before falling to Middle Tennessee, 0-10.
Game 1 Recap (App State 5, Southern Illinois 2)
The Mountaineers snapped Southern Illinois' 10-game winning streak, thanks to a five-run second inning and a consistent defense through the final six.
Delani Buckner allowed her only earned run of the game in the top of the first, when the Salukis' Elizabeth Warwick hit a two-run homer to open the game. Buckner and the App State defense would allow no runs and only three more hits for the rest of the contest.
In the bottom of the second, the Mountaineers responded with a show on the offensive side of the ball. McKenzie McCullen, Addie Wray and Abby Cunningham were all walked to start the action. Mary Pierce Barnes made the game-tying single to bring in Wray and McCullen, forcing Southern Illinois to change pitchers with two on and one out.
Kayt Houston immediately doubled to bring in Wray and Cunningham, giving the Mountaineers a 4-2 lead. Houston is sixth in the Sun Belt in hits with 26. On the next at-bat, Sidney Martin singled to first base as Houston ran home.
Five innings later, the score did not change after defensive adjustments were made by both squads, leading to App State's third consecutive victory.
Game 2 Recap (App State 0, Middle Tennessee 10)
The Blue Raiders earned a no-hitter against the Black and Gold during the final game of the night.
Three pitchers saw time during MTSU's hot streak: Kaylie Northrop, Kapri Toone and Alannah Hopkins. Hopkins pitched the last two innings, striking out two Blue Raiders and allowing only two hits in her third appearance as a freshman.
Riley Becker, Katelynn Crowe and Makena Fidler all made their first appearances of the season.
Up Next
The Mountaineers have three remaining games in the MTSU Invitational before a string of six home games. App State will face Green Bay on Saturday and Sunday, in addition to an evening matchup with Western Illinois on Saturday.
