ROCK HILL, S.C. – App State Softball (3-4) collected six runs on 12 hits across two games on day two of the Winthrop Eagle Classic. The Mountaineers picked up a 5-1 win over Binghamton in game one, before dropping game two against Winthrop 4-1. Senior
Kaylie Northrop pitched a complete game gem in her first start of the 2024 campaign, allowing one run on four hits while picking up five strikeouts in game one of the doubleheader.
On the offensive side, senior
Kayt Houston added three hits total, including a double in game one and an RBI single in game two against Winthrop. Catcher
Peyton Darnell slugged a solo home run against Binghamton for her third home run of the season.
Sejal Neas pitched game two, throwing six innings and giving up six hits, four runs and striking out six Eagles in her third start of the season. Neas and Northrop together combined for 11 strikeouts on day two of the Winthrop Eagles Classic.
How it Happened
Game 1: App State 5, Binghamton 1
Binghamton struck first in the top of the third as L'Amoreaux roped a double down the left-field line to score Musial for the first run of the game. The Mountaineers were quick to strike back in the bottom half of the third inning, scoring three straight runs.
Grace Barrett got App State on the board, bringing in
Addie Wray on a sac fly to the right fielder. Darnell followed in her teammate's footsteps as she hit an RBI sac fly to right field that brought home Cunningham to give App State a one-run lead (2-1).
Taylor Thorp found the hole on the left side of the diamond for an RBI single, allowing Houston to score easily for a two-run lead after three innings.
Two Innings later, Darnell collected her second RBI of game one as she cranked a solo home run to left-center, putting the Mountaineers on top 4-1 in the fifth inning. The runs didn't stop there as Houston continued her run-scoring production with an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth to lead the Black and Gold to a 5-1 victory over Binghamton.
Kaylie Northrop pitched a gem in her first start of the season. After hitting a batter in the first inning, the senior dialed it in in the second inning, getting her first strikeout of the day. Northrop then struck out two in the third, one swinging and the other looking, tallying three punchouts by the end of the inning. She then struck out two more batters in the sixth and seventh innings, moving her total up to five before forcing Binghamton's Musial to ground out to second to end the game.
Game 1 Notes
Homeruns
App: Darnell 1 (3)
BING: N/A
WP –
Kaylie Northrop (1-0) CG 7 IP, 4 hits, 1 run, 0 walks, 5 strikeouts
SV – N/A
LP – Brianna Roberts (1-3) 5.1 IP, 7 hits, 5 runs, 1 walk, 5 strikeouts
Game 2: Winthrop 4, App State 1
App State took the lead early in game two as Oliva Cook drove in
Killian Roberts on a sac fly to center for the Mountaineers' first run of the game in the top of the fourth inning. Winthrop stormed back in the bottom of the inning, scoring three runs. Jackson drove in the first of three runs for the Eagles with an RBI single to tie things at 1-1 in the fourth.
Winthrop capitalized on an App State passed ball, putting the Eagles ahead by one (2-1). Temple collected her lone RBI of the game as she hit a sac fly to right to score Rivas, giving the Eagles a two-run lead at the end of the fourth.
Winthrop tallied another run in the fifth to get to its final tally of five. Neas finished what she started, tallying her third complete game of the season, but the Mountaineer offense couldn't back up her strong start. Despite traffic on the basepaths all game, Eagle starting pitcher Reese Basinger did well to limit the damage and picked up the win.
Game 2 Notes
Homeruns
APP: N/A
WIN: N/A
WP: Reese Basinger (4-2) CG 7 IP, 5 hits, 1 run, 1 walk, 5 strikeouts
SV: N/A
LP:
Sejal Neas (1-2) 6 IP, 6 hits, 4 runs, 2 walks, 6 strikeouts
Up Next
App State will conclude the Winthrop Eagle Classic against Mount St. Mary's on Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. Live stats will be accessible on appstatesports.com.
