BOONE, N.C. – After two singles and a walk loaded the bases in the bottom of the first inning for the App State softball team, the Mountaineers saw an RBI single by
Madison McIntyre and a grand slam by
Taylor Chumbley plate five opening-inning runs. This early outburst proved to be enough to decide the game as App State took control and won the contest 8-4 over the ULM Warhawks to claim its seventh win in its last eight games.
The Mountaineers' (17-21, 7-6 SBC) eight runs scored in Game 1 of the series marked the team's fifth straight game with at least eight runs. It's the first time in the Sun Belt era that App State has recorded at least eight runs in five consecutive games.
In addition to the run-scoring output, App State tallied 11 hits against ULM (28-16, 8-5 SBC) to open the series, marking the second straight game that the Mountaineers have recorded double-digit hits. All but one of App State's starters tallied a hit in Game 1, while
Makayla McClain,
Grace Barrett and Chumbley each tallied multi-hit games.
Left-handed pitcher
Sophie Moshos was brilliant in the circle once again for App State as she pitched her seventh complete game of the season, allowing just one earned run. Moshos opened the ballgame by hurling four straight scoreless frames, which extended a streak of consecutive scoreless innings to 11. The Brazil, Ind., native picked up her team-leading 12th win of the season on Friday, moving her into a tie for seventh place on App State's single-season wins list.
How it Happened
Returning home after a brief one-game road trip, Moshos and her defense posted a scoreless top of the first inning, working around a leadoff hit and a walk to do so. It didn't take long at all for the Mountaineer offense to come to life as they plated five runs in the bottom half to take an early advantage.
McClain and
Leah Gore posted infield hits, and Hamby walked to quickly load the bases with nobody out for McIntyre. McIntyre promptly plated McClain by shooting a single into right field to make it 1-0. After an out to keep the bases loaded, Chumbley jumped all over a 2-1 pitch and launched a grand slam to left-center field. It was her fifth home run of the year and App State's fifth grand slam as a team this season.
ULM got out of the inning, but couldn't score in the top of the second to answer as Moshos stranded two runners in scoring position. App State tallied another run, its sixth through two innings, thanks to a long home run down the left-field line by Hamby. Hamby's solo home run with two outs was her fifth home run in her last nine games. The Warhawks retired the side, but the Mountaineers stormed ahead by six after six outs.
Another scoreless top of the third posted by Moshos kept the Warhawks in check as play moved to the bottom of the third. Chumbley doubled and Barrett singled to put two runners on in the frame, but for the first time in the game, the Mountaineers were held scoreless. Both teams went quietly in the fourth inning, and action moved to the fifth with the Mountaineers holding a 6-0 lead.
The Warhawks scored their first runs in the top of the fifth, using two errors to do so. Two hits led off the inning, and then a fielder's choice and two errors on the same play allowed two runs to score with nobody out. An RBI groundout plated ULM's third run, but Moshos stayed composed and got out of the inning to keep the Mountaineers' lead intact.
Seeing its deficit drop to just three, App State got to work to answer and did just that, scoring twice in the bottom of the fifth. ULM forced the first two hitters of the frame into groundouts, but Barrett got the rally started with a single. One batter later,
Julia Girk shot an RBI triple into the right-field corner to plate Barrett, and then
Summer Simpson reached first on a perfect bunt down the first-base line, which scored Girk. When the side was retired, App State again led by five.
ULM plated its fourth run of the contest on a squeeze play in the bottom of the sixth frame, but App State and Moshos didn't let the Warhawks get any closer and won the game by four. Moshos' seventh inning of work saw her throw just 10 pitches.
The 8-4 win over ULM was App State's seventh win in Sun Belt play this season. It moves head coach
Whitney Jones into solo second place for conference wins by a Mountaineer first-year head coach. The only person in front of her is Shae Wesley, who posted 15 SoCon wins in her first year in 2011.
Friday Notes
Home runs
App: Chumbley (5), Hamby (7)
ULM: N/A
WP:
Sophie Moshos (12-6): 7 IP, 8 hits, 4 runs (1 earned run), 1 walk, 1 strikeout
SV: N/A
LP: Maddie Nichols (9-6): 1.2 IP, 5 hits, 6 runs, 2 walks, 1 strikeout
Up Next
The Mountaineers and Warhawks will continue their three-game series in Boone on Saturday. First pitch from Sywassink/Lloyd Family Stadium is scheduled for 2 p.m. Admission to Sywassink/Lloyd Family Stadium is free.
