Mountaineers softball complete season sweep of ETSU
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. -- The App State softball team (25-18) traveled to ETSU (5-39) on Tuesday and picked up a pair of shutout victories to sweep the Bucs in a midweek doubleheader. The Mountaineers tabbed an 8-0 win in six innings of play to open the day before winning the five-inning nightcap by the same score line.
The two wins extends the Mountaineers’ non-conference winning streak to six games. The streak started with a midweek sweep of ETSU earlier this season, back on April 6.
GAME 1
The Mountaineers got on the board early, scoring one run in each of the first three innings. A leadoff single from Emma Jones started things off before she eventually scored on a wild pitch. Another leadoff single in the second inning, this time from Addie Wray, helped double the advantage after she came home following an ETSU fielding error.
Kayt Houston recorded a single to start the top of the third inning. Two at bats later, an RBI-groundout from Baylee Morton did enough to drive in Houston. Some clever baserunning from Claire Carson led to another run, putting the Mountaineers up 4-0.
The highlight of the day came in the top of the sixth when Houston unloaded the bases with a grand slam to left center. The four-run blast gave the sophomore her league-leading twelfth home run of the season.
Delani Buckner got the start, picking up the complete-game performance. She gave up just two hits, fanning six Bucs en route to her 11th victory of the season.
GAME 2
Much like the opening contest, App State jumped out to an early lead. Jones once again scored the game’s opening run after Mary Pierce Barnes crushed a shot off the wall to bring her home.
The Mountaineers took control in the second inning, plating five runs. McKenzie McCullen started things off with a leadoff double. Just a few pitches later, Taylor Thorp’s shot to deep left brought McCullen and Wray home. Emily Parrott’s two-RBI single to left field then scored Jones and Thorp to put the Mountaineers up 6-0.
Thorp added to App State’s advantage in the top of the third inning after she tallied her first home run of the season. Her tworun bomb to left field also drove in Kathleen Barton.
Sejal Neas tossed the complete-game shutout, giving up just two hits and striking out a pair of batters.
Houston paced the Mountaineers with three hits, also driving in four runs and scoring twice. McCullen, Wray and Thorp each contributed with two hits. Thorp added a trio of runs batted in and three runs scored.
UP NEXT
App State returns to action on Friday when they begin a three-game Sun Belt series against Louisiana. First pitch for Friday’s series opener is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. and all three games of the series will be broadcasted on ESPN+.