JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Winners of seven of their last nine, the App State Mountaineers (7-5) trek to Johnson City, Tenn., for a midweek clash with the ETSU Buccaneers (2-8) on Tuesday, renewing one of the longest-standing rivalries in App State history. First pitch from game 1 is slated for 4 p.m.
Who: App State (7-5) vs. ETSU (2-8)
Where: Betty Basler Field // Johnson City, Tenn.
When: Tuesday, Feb. 27 // 4 & 6:30 p.m.
Last Time Out
Strong pitching and solid offense led the Mountaineers to a 3-1 weekend at the Wolfpack Classic this past weekend, beating Cleveland State twice, and Iona before falling to the host NC State in the finale on Sunday. The Mountaineers allowed just eight runs in the four games.
Peyton Darnell paced the Mountaineer offense in Raleigh as she finished 7-12 (.583 BA) while driving in seven runs. Darnell has driven in at least one run in five consecutive games. Overall, the Mountaineers smashed 39 hits and scored 21 runs. 11 different players recorded at least one hit.
The App State pitching staff dazzled in Raleigh as the trio of Jenna Samuel, Kaylie Northrop and Sejal Neas allowed just eight earned runs all weekend. In two starts against Cleveland State and Iona, Northrop hurled 12 scoreless innings and struck out 16. Before allowing a run in relief against NC State, Northrop recorded 20 straight scoreless innings.
First Pitch
- App State has won seven of its last nine games after another strong showing at the Wolfpack Classic this past weekend.
- App State and ETSU renew a long-standing rivalry that dates back to 2001 on Tuesday. The two teams have squared off 37 previous times.
- Head coach Shelly Hoerner sits just three wins away from 150 career wins at App State. She already holds the record for most wins by a Mountaineer head coach. She needs just 15 more wins to get 700 for her career.
- The Mountaineers have already recorded three double-digit run games this season. For the entire 2022 season, App State recorded just two games where they scored at least 10 runs.
- Kayt Houston needs just four hits to become the fourth Mountaineer in program history to record 200 career hits. She also sits just 11 doubles shy of the all-time mark for doubles in a career.
- In the past nine games, the Mountaineers have outscored their opponents 65-19. App State has recorded five wins by at least seven runs in their last nine games.
On the Mountaineers
- The App State offense has been potent to start the season as they enter the week in the top five of the Sun Belt in home runs (second), slugging percentage (first) and batting average (first).
- Kayt Houston slugged her Sun Belt-leading fifth home run of the weekend on Saturday against Iona. Both Houston and Darnell sit in the top three in the league entering Tuesday in long balls.
- Peyton Darnell continues to produce at a high rate in her first season with the Black and Gold as she is already up to 15 RBI for the season. Currently, she sits in the top five in the conference in batting average (third), RBI (fifth), home runs (T-third) and OPS (fifth).
- App State has been hot all the way through the lineup in the last two weeks as 13 players have recorded at least one hit this season.
- Left-handed pitcher Kaylie Northrop has been lights out in her last five appearances as she has allowed just two runs in her last 23.1 innings pitched. She struck out 10 Gaels in her complete-game shutout performance on Saturday before striking out six more on Sunday against Cleveland State.
Series History
- 38th meeting
- Last meeting: April 11, 2023
- Record: 18-19
- Trends:
- The Mountaineers have won each of the last 10 contests against the Buccaneers, scoring at least five runs in eight of those 10 games.
- App State has won each of the last four games at ETSU.
Up Next
App State prepares for another five-game slate in Greenville, N.C., at the Purple-Gold Invitational hosted by ECU this Friday-Sunday. The Mountaineers will play doubleheaders both Friday and Saturday before capping off play on Sunday against ECU. First pitch against Saint Joseph's on Friday is set for 10 a.m.
