ATHENS, Ga. – Gearing up for another packed weekend, the App State Softball team travels to Athens, Ga., for the 22nd Annual Georgia Classic starting Friday. App State will play five games against four different teams in Athens.
The Mountaineers will play against three teams they have never played before (Utah Valley, Buffalo and Syracuse), while also partaking in their first game with a top-10 opponent since March 2023.
Who: App State (1-8) vs. Utah Valley (2-8) // No. 9 Georgia (9-0) // Buffalo (1-4) // Syracuse (9-0)
Where: Jack Turner Softball Stadium // Georgia Classic // Athens, Ga.
When: Friday, Feb. 21 – Sunday, Feb. 23
Last Time Out
The Mountaineers finished the Carolina Classic last weekend with four losses, but three of the four setbacks came by three runs or fewer. App State scored at least three runs in all but one game, while two went to extra innings, which included an 11-inning game against Miami (Ohio) on Feb. 14.
Sophomore shortstop
Grace Barrett posted another stellar weekend in Columbia with six hits, six RBI, a homer and two doubles. She is now up to 14 hits for the season. Additionally,
Jaylee Williams shined in Columbia as she recorded five hits in 11 at-bats, which included a 3-4 day against Winthrop on Feb. 15. Freshman
Leah Gore recorded her best weekend at the collegiate level, tallying five hits and her first collegiate double and
Macy Hamby slugged a solo homer against Winthrop on Feb. 16.
In the circle,
Sophie Moshos,
Bel Varadi and
Ava Beamesderfer each recorded their respective season highs in strikeouts last weekend. Moshos tallied nine strikeouts in two separate games against Miami (Ohio) and Winthrop while Varadi struck out a career-best six against the Eagles on Feb. 15. The Mountaineer pitchers totaled double-digit strikeouts in two games in Columbia, marking the first double-digit strikeout games by the Mountaineer staff this season.
Leading Off
Entering play in Athens, the Mountaineers sit at 497 wins in program history. If App State gets three more wins, it will eclipse 500 victories in its program's history.
The Mountaineers played in two extra-inning games at the Carolina Classic (Miami (Ohio) and Winthrop). App State has already played in three extra-inning games this season, which is the most instances in a season since the 2023 season (four times). App State's 11-inning contest to open the weekend against the RedHawks was its longest since May 10, 2007.
App State has played five teams this year that won at least 30 games in 2024. Overall, App State is set to play against 13 teams that won at least 30 games a year ago. Additionally, App State is set to square off with seven NCAA Tournament participants in 2025.
The Mountaineers haven't defeated a Power Five program in over five years, last winning on Feb. 8, 2020, against Virginia. App State will have plenty of chances to break that streak this year as it will square off with five Power Five programs in 2025.
Scouting the Mountaineers
The Mountaineers are coming off one of their best offensive seasons in program history, setting single-season program records in team batting average (.296), slugging percentage (.434) and doubles (67). App State also posted top-five marks in runs scored (241), hits (399), home runs (36) and on-base percentage (.365).
Of the 22 players on App State's roster, only nine are upperclassmen (41 percent). The Mountaineers will return just 35 percent of its hits, 19 percent of its homers and 34 percent of its RBI from a season ago. So far this season, App State has seen six underclassmen start at least seven games.
Moshos struck out 18 hitters in Columbia last weekend in two appearances (nine in each game). For the week of Feb. 10-16, Moshos tallied the 18th-most strikeouts in the country. Entering the weekend, Moshos owns the fifth-most punchouts in the Sun Belt Conference (26).
Barrett has opened her 2025 season in a big way as she enters the Georgia Classic in the top 10 in the Sun Belt in hits (third), batting average (10th), RBI (first), OPS (ninth), doubles (first) and homers (T-seventh). Barrett hit a game-tying grand slam on Feb. 14 against the RedHawks, her second home run of the season, and tallied two doubles and six RBI for the weekend.
App State saw two players record their first career hit last weekend in
Madison McIntyre and Williams. McIntyre recorded her first career RBI in the same at-bat as her first hit against Miami (Ohio) on Feb. 14, while Williams scorched her first hit against the RedHawks as well. Williams posted a solid weekend at the Carolina Classic with five hits in 11 at-bats, which included a three-hit game against Winthrop on Feb. 15.
Makayla McClain,
Julia Girk and Gore each posted multi-hit weekends at the Carolina Classic a week ago, with Gore totaling five hits, McClain smacking three hits and Girk recording two knocks. Gore currently stands second on the team in batting average (.286). McClain is second on the team in both hits (nine) and RBI (five).
Series History
- App State vs. Utah Valley
- App State vs. No. 9 Georgia
- Record: 0-12
- Last Meeting: March 6, 2022
- Trends:
- The Mountaineers have yet to beat Georgia in the series history. 11 of the previous 12 games have been played in Athens between the two teams.
- App State and Georgia last met in 2022. Before that matchup, the two teams hadn't played one another since 2006.
- App State vs. Buffalo
- App State vs. Syracuse
Up Next
Once play concludes on Sunday at the Georgia Classic, the Mountaineers will trek to Lynchburg, Va., for the Liberty Softball Invitational. The tournament, hosted by the Liberty Flames, will feature the Lehigh Mountain Hawks, the Drexel Dragons and the Georgetown Hoyas. App State will open the weekend on Friday, Feb. 28 with a doubleheader against Lehigh. First pitch of game 1 is slated for 4 p.m.
