STATESBORO, Ga. – Despite a two-run first inning and a no-hit bid that was carried into the fourth inning by the App State softball team, a three-run Georgia Southern fourth proved to be the deciding factor as the Eagles took home a 3-2 victory in the middle game against App State on Saturday.
Macy Hamby and
KB Bradshaw provided an early spark for App State (28-18, 7-13 SBC), as the two provided run-scoring hits in the first inning, but the Mountaineers were stifled from then on. Georgia Southern's (20-28, 7-13 SBC) duo of Alana Barnard and Kaylee Croft threw six straight scoreless innings to make its strong fourth-inning offense stand up. App State nearly missed a go-ahead two-run home run in the sixth inning, but
Emilie Ching's deep fly ball to center field was caught at the track, ending the threat.
Bel Varadi and
Camryn Fisher pitched well on Saturday, as Varadi didn't allow a hit until the fourth inning, while Fisher pitched two shutout innings in relief. App State's pitchers allowed only two Eagle hits in the game and struck out four.
How it Happened
App State started the game hot, as
Makayla McClain singled into left field to start the rally. Continuing her strong game from Friday night, Hamby shot a double into the right-center field gap that plated McClain from first to give App State a 1-0 lead. After an out, Bradshaw followed with an RBI single to right field that scored Hamby from second, which gave App State a two-run advantage after a half inning.
Both sides went quietly in their next two at-bats, as Varadi stifled the Eagle hitters early. The lefty then struck out her first two batters of the game in the third to keep Georgia Southern scoreless, but App State couldn't score a two-out walk to
Madison Fletcher in the fourth, and the game remained 2-0 into the bottom of the inning.
Georgia Southern led off the fourth by hitting a home run to pull within one, which was its first hit of the game. The Eagles quickly loaded the bases after the home run and scored two more on back-to-back sacrifice flies to take a one-run lead. The Mountaineers saw three batters reach in the fifth inning courtesy of a hit and two walks, but the Eagles stranded them to keep their lead.
The Mountaineers turned to Fisher in the circle in the fifth inning, and she posted a scoreless inning, stranding the bases loaded to do so. Needing a rally, Bradshaw laced her second hit of the game into left field – a double – to put a runner in scoring position, but Georgia Southern quickly retired the next two hitters to keep its one-run lead.
After Fisher worked a 1-2-3 bottom of the sixth, the Mountaineers sent their 8-9-1 hitters to the plate, needing a run to tie the game. Facing Croft, who came in the game in the fifth, App State failed to generate a chance, going down in order in the seventh to fall by a run in the middle game of the series.
Saturday Notes
Home runs
App: N/A
GSO: Thames (12)
WP: Alana Barnard (7-14): 4.1 IP, 4 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, 4 strikeouts
SV: Croft (1)
LP:
Bel Varadi (1-3): 4 IP, 2 hits, 3 runs, 2 walks, 2 strikeouts
Up Next
App State will look to win the series in the pivotal rubber match against Georgia Southern on Sunday. Sunday's contest will be App State's final road game of the regular season. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
