JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – In the first midweek games of the year, the App State Mountaineers split a pair against the ETSU Buccaneers in Johnson City on Tuesday. The Mountaineers dropped game 1 6-2, but
Sejal Neas dazzled in her return to her hometown, keeping the Buccaneers hitless through 6.2 innings as she helped the Mountaineers win game 2 1-0.
Abby Cunningham provided most of the offense for the Mountaineers (8-6) in game 1, going 3-3 at the plate with a double and an RBI.
Peyton Darnell provided another RBI in game one, tallying an RBI double to highlight her performance. It was her sixth straight game where she recorded at least one RBI.
Jenna Samuel pitched a career-high 3.2 innings in relief in game 1 and did well to limit further damage from the Buccaneers after their five-run third inning. She struck out six hitters and kept ETSU to just one run as she recorded the final 11 outs in relief. But despite 10 hits from the Mountaineers, including a two-hit game from
Olivia Cook, the duo of Muir and Fowler for ETSU did well to limit the damage as the Buccaneers picked up a game 1 win.
In game 2, Neas gave App State everything it needed, throwing a complete-game shutout while striking out a career-high nine batters and allowing just two baserunners. It was her sixth complete game of the season in as many starts.
The lone run from either team in game 2 came off the bat of
Killian Roberts as her go-ahead sacrifice fly gave the Mountaineers the lead in the seventh. Darnell's lead-off double to right-center field got the inning started and a sacrifice bunt from
Taylor Thorp led to Roberts' go-ahead SAC fly.
Kayt Houston,
Olivia Cook,
Riley Becker, Cunningham, and Darnell each added one hit apiece in the win.
How it Happened
Game 1: App State 2, ETSU 6
Both teams were held scoreless through the first two innings, but it was ETSU that got the scoring started in the bottom of the third. After the first two Buccaneer batters reached, an RBI double into right field brought the first two runs of the game across. A Mountaineer error pushed another run across, making it 3-0.
Kaylie Northrop got the start for App State and pitched 2.1 innings. The Mountaineers then turned to
Jenna Samuel out of the bullpen for the final 11 outs. Inheriting the bases loaded and one out in the third, Samuel walked the first batter she faced, and hit the second, bringing in two more runs for the Buccaneers. Samuel was able to limit the damage however, striking out the next two batters to end the inning.
After Samuel struck out the first ETSU batter in the fourth, a single and fielder's choice moved a runner into scoring position, She would come around to score the sixth run of the game on an RBI single into center field.
The Mountaineers cracked the scoreboard for the first time in the fifth. After
Abby Cunningham led off the inning with a single,
Kayt Houston followed with a single of her own. Then
Peyton Darnell doubled with one out, scoring Cunningham from second base. Houston would be stranded at third base, as a pitching change helped ETSU get out of the frame.
Cunningham kept her good day at the plate going in the sixth as she delivered a two-out RBI double into the left-center field gap, scoring
Neveah Hildebrandt, who pinch-ran for
Olivia Cook earlier in the inning.
Jenna Samuel gave the Black and Gold valuable innings out of the bullpen as she was able to keep the Buccaneers at bay for most of the final 3.2 innings, getting out of a tough jam in the sixth inning. Samuel gave up just two hits while racking up six strikeouts in relief of Northrop.
App State was able to get the leadoff runner on base to start the seventh, but a double play and a flyout would clinch a game one win for ETSU.
Game 1 Notes
Home Runs
App: N/A
ETSU: N/A
WP - Sara Muir (3-3): 4.1 IP, 7 hits, 1 run, 1 walk, 3 strikeouts
SV- N/A
LP-
Kaylie Northrop (4-1): 2.1 IP, 8 hits, 4 runs, 0 walks, 2 strikeouts
Game 2: App State 1, ETSU 0
It was an old-fashioned pitcher's duel for all seven innings in the second game as
Sejal Neas got the start for App State and didn't allow a hit until two outs in the seventh inning. Neas, the Johnson City native, was dominant all game as she struck out nine, walked one, and only gave up one hit.
After the Mountaineers went down in order in the top half of the first, ETSU got their first baserunner of the game via a walk, and that would be the only runner to reach until two outs in the seventh inning. Neas got a groundout to end the first and was on cruise control the rest of the night.
App State looked to threaten in the third as
Riley Becker pinch hit for
Brooke Kennerly and led off the inning with a single to left-center. After a fielder's choice moved Becker to second, Houston delivered a single into right field, putting runners on the corners. ETSU would get out of the jam, however, using a double-play to end the inning.
The Mountaineers needed just one run to win game 2, and they got it in the seventh inning.
Peyton Darnell led off the inning with a double into the right-center field gap. After Hildebrandt came on as a pinch runner, she moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from
Taylor Thorp, and two pitches later,
Killian Roberts delivered a fly ball to left field, bringing in Hildebrandt from third for an RBI SAC-fly.
Only three outs away from a no-hitter, Neas delivered a strikeout and a groundout to sit down the first two batters of the inning. Taylor Suchy would work a full-count and delivered a single into center field, which was the first and only hit of the game for ETSU. Neas bounced right back after the hit, striking out the next batter to close out a 1-0 win for App State.
Game 2 Notes
Home Runs
App: N/A
ETSU: N/A
WP-
Sejal Neas (3-3): 7 IP, 1 hit, 0 runs, 1 walk, 9 strikeouts
SV- N/A
LP- Taylor Suchy (0-3): 6 IP, 4 hits, 1 run, 0 walks, 2 strikeouts
Up Next
The Mountaineers will travel to Greenville, N.C. this weekend for the Purple-Gold Invitational hosted by East Carolina. App State will play five games in Greenville this weekend, starting with a doubleheader on Friday. First pitch against Saint Joseph's is slated for 10 a.m.
