KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – App State softball dropped its first two games of the Tennessee Classic on Saturday, falling to Belmont, 5-0, and No. 6 Tennessee, 8-0 in five innings.
Game 1 Recap (Belmont 5, App State 0)
The Mountaineers' six-game winning streak came to an end after a hot start by the Bruins. Belmont scored all five of its runs through the first three innings, right before Kaylie Northrop came in to relieve.
Northrop pitched the final 4.2 innings, allowing no runs and striking out four batters.
Taylor Thorp tallied two hits to lead the Black and Gold, and Kayt Houston recorded a hit for the ninth consecutive game. Houston is 14th in the Sun Belt with 19 hits on the year.
Game 2 Recap (No. 6 Tennessee 8, App State 0, 5 innings)
The Mountaineers never allowed more than two runs in an inning by the team that posted 19 the night before, sixth-ranked Tennessee.
After a 2-0 first inning by the Lady Volunteers, App State held the tournament host scoreless through six outs before Tennessee tallied a series of runs in the bottom of the fourth.
Alannah Hopkins was one of three pitchers to see playing time, striking out her first batter, Kiki Milloy, who is Tennessee's top hitter, statistically.
Up Next
The Mountaineers will have a chance to even their Tennessee Classic record tomorrow with games against Jacksonville State at 9:30 a.m. and a rematch with Belmont at 2:30 p.m. App State will play its home opener this Wednesday at 6 p.m. against North Carolina.
