STATESBORO, Ga. – With two outs in the top of the seventh inning,
Makayla McClain sent a ringing double into the left-field corner to put two runners in scoring position for
Macy Hamby. The Georgia native, who homered to tie the score in the previous inning, sent an 0-2 pitch past the second baseman to plate the game-winning runs to propel the App State softball team to a series-opening 7-5 win over Georgia Southern on Friday.
Georgia Southern (19-28, 6-13 SBC) scored three first-inning runs to take an early lead, but as it has done all season, the Mountaineers (28-17, 7-12 SBC) shined as they posted four runs in their next at-bat to reclaim the lead. The Eagles again took the lead in the fifth inning, but App State responded by scoring three straight to claim the win.
The long ball played a pivotal role in Friday night's win, as App State slugged three in the contest.
Emilie Ching tied the game at three with a three-run home run in the top of the second, which was then followed by a laser-beam shot by
Leah Gore to put App State on top. App State's third homer of the night came in the sixth inning, as Hamby launched a game-tying solo home run – which was also her 100th career hit – into center field.
How it Happened
After App State went down quietly in the top of the first, Georgia Southern took the lead with three runs in the bottom of the inning. The Eagle lead was short-lived, however, as App State used back-to-back home runs by Ching and Gore in the top of the second to quickly re-take a one-run lead at 4-3.
Sophie Moshos answered her offense's big inning by throwing up a zero, striking out her first two batters of the game in the process.
Grace Barrett singled in the top of the third inning, but both sides went quietly in their next at-bat, which sent action to the fourth with the Mountaineers on top by a run.
Georgia Southern sat down App State in order in the top of the fourth, and proceeded to take a one-run lead in the bottom of the inning with a two-out, two-run home run.
Taylor Schafer walked to lead off the fifth frame, but the Mountaineers couldn't respond, and the Eagles maintained their lead into the bottom of the inning.
App State's defense posted a zero in the bottom of the fifth, working around a single and a stolen base to do so. Leading off the top of the sixth, Hamby swatted a 1-2 pitch that crept just over the wall in center to tie the score at five. The homer was also her 100th career hit. Moshos and the defense worked around two walks in the bottom of the frame, and play moved to the seventh with the score tied.
In the final frame, Schafer posted a one-out single, but Georgia Southern recorded two consecutive outs and threatened to send the game to the bottom of the seventh. But McClain laced a double down the line to put two in scoring position, and Hamby shot a single into right field to put App State on top by two. Looking to finish what she started, Moshos came back out for the bottom of the inning and slammed the door shut with a 1-2-3 inning to secure a comeback win.
Friday Notes
Home runs
App: Ching (12), Gore (7), Hamby (7)
GSO: Thames (11)
WP:
Sophie Moshos (13-8): 7 IP, 6 hits, 5 runs (3 earned runs), 4 walks, 4 strikeouts
SV: N/A
LP: Alana Barnard (6-14): 5.2 IP, 5 hits, 3 runs, 2 walks, 5 strikeouts
Up Next
App State will look to win its third straight contest on Saturday when it takes the field for Game 2 against Georgia Southern. First pitch is set for 3 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
