GREENSBORO, N.C. – After falling behind by three through an inning and trailing by three entering the sixth inning, the App State Softball team willed its way to an extra-inning victory with a three-run sixth inning and a pair of runs in extra innings to post a 7-6 win in nine innings over UNCG to open The Spiro Classic on Thursday.
The Mountaineers (5-0) kept chipping away at their three-run deficit before eventually using a long two-run home run by
Madison McIntyre to pull within one run with one out in the sixth inning and a pinch-hit solo home run by
Madison Fletcher to tie the score at five two batters later. Fletcher's home run to left-center field to tie the game was the first of her career.
Macy Hamby had her fingerprints all over Thursday's contest, as she tallied the game-winning single in the ninth inning to score
Julia Girk from second base and also hit a solo home run in the fifth inning. Hamby totaled three hits for the contest.
App State couldn't have come back on Wednesday against the Spartans (1-5) without the effort of
Sophie Moshos in the circle. Moshos came into the game in the second inning and finished out the contest, firing eight innings of two-run softball to get her third win of the season. Moshos allowed just four hits in her outing, and stranded the game-tying run on third base in the ninth inning to secure the victory.
How it Happened
The Spartans started fast in their home tournament by scoring three runs in the bottom of the first to take a three-run lead. UNCG capitalized on an App State error in the inning and hit a home run to cap off the frame.
App State tallied its first two baserunners in the second inning after
Grace Barrett and
Taylor Schafer reached base, but UNCG held firm. After a lead-off walk in the second, App State turned to Moshos, who kept the score within three after retiring the next three hitters.
Needing a spark, the Mountaineers got on the board in the third inning with a line-drive home run off the bat of McClain to pull within two. Moshos responded by recording a 1-2-3 bottom of the third inning, but App State couldn't pull any closer in the fourth after UNCG left a runner stranded.
UNCG tallied its fourth run of the game in the fourth inning on a home run to right-center field. Trailing by three for the second time, App State answered right back with a solo home run of its own by Hamby and pulled back within two as play moved into the bottom of the fifth frame. The Spartans would score again to go back ahead by three, using another home run to do so.
Down by three once again, the Mountaineers began their comeback attempt in the sixth inning with a Schafer single up the middle. Taking her first at-bat of the game after coming on as a defensive substitution in the fourth, McIntyre followed Schafer with a long two-run home run into right-center field to pull App State within one. After an out, Fletcher pinch hit for Girk and belted a home run into left-center field to tie the score. UNCG got out of the inning, but the damage had been done, and it was a brand new ball game as play moved to the final frame.
Neither squad scored in the final inning, meaning that this thrilling game needed extras to be decided. App State scored first in the eighth inning after
Dakota Daniel scored Barrett from third, but the Spartans tied it back up with a sacrifice fly to send the game to the ninth.
With Girk standing on second base due to the international rules, UNCG recorded the first out, but Hamby stroked a hard single into left field that plated Girk to send App State back ahead 7-6. The Mountaineers couldn't score any more, but Moshos' determination in the bottom of the inning helped strand a runner on third, which clinched a gutsy one-run win in extras for App State.
Thursday Notes
Home runs
App: McClain (3), Hamby (1), McIntyre (1), Fletcher (1)
UNCG: Deane (1), South (2), Bouquin (1)
WP:
Sophie Moshos (3-0): 8 IP, 4 hits, 3 runs (2 earned runs), 0 walks, 5 strikeouts
SV: N/A
LP: Rhyann Jones (0-1): 3.1 IP, 4 hits, 2 runs (0 earned runs), 0 walks, 2 strikeouts
Up Next
App State will continue play at The Spiro Classic on Friday with a doubleheader against Columbia and Fairfield. First pitch against the Lions is slated for 10 a.m. with the second to follow immediately after the first. Both games can be followed along on Live Stats.
