Apps Win Slugfest over Campbell to Split Day Two
BUIES CREEK, N.C. - Appalachian State University softball dropped a 9-0 decision in five innings to Loyola-Chicago for Saturday's first game, but bounced back nicely to defeat Campbell 16-9 and split the twinbill. App State snapped a two-game skid against the Camels and beat them for the first time since 2007.
"Today was a great test for our character," said head coach Janice Savage. "To be down by seven against Campbell and come back to win shows how much our team can achieve if we continue to fight. I'm proud of them for not giving up and continuing to believe."
The Mountaineers now sit at 4-14 overall, the Ramblers improved to 10-3 and the Camels have lost two of their last three falling to 5-8 on the season. App State managed only two hits in game one, one each from Jenny Dodd and Cara Parker, but the bats came to life against Campbell.
Against the Camels, the Black and Gold recorded season highs in runs scored (16), RBI (16), walks (11), hit-by-pitches (five), and runners left on base (13). The first four batters in the lineup went a combined 7-for-15 (.467) with nine runs scored and 12 RBI, six of which came from Heather Josey in the cleanup spot. Josey became the first Mountaineer with six RBI in a game since April 15, 2006 when Kasey Motsinger accomplished the feat against UNCG.
Game One: Loyola-Chicago 9, App State 0 (5 Inn.)
Loyola-Chicago scored two runs in the first, six in the second and one in the third, all on seven hits. Annaleise Kennedy (1-3) lasted 1.2 innings and gave up four earned runs on four hits. In relief, Katherine Johnson went a third of an inning with five runs surrendered, one earned, and Claire Eosso pitched the final two frames without giving up a hit.
Game Two: App State 16, Campbell 9
In game two, innings one through three were polar opposites of innings four through seven. Entering the top of the fourth, the Mountaineers found themselves down 7-0 to Campbell and had tallied just two hits. The momentum changed hands quickly, though, as App State rattled off 13 unanswered runs amongst seven in the fourth, one in the fifth, five in the sixth, and three in the seventh.
In the game-tying fourth inning, the Black and Gold batted around plus three batters and at one point, chalked up five-straight RBI hits. Six of the seven hits were singles and the seventh was a double from Pepper Butler, while all seven runs came in with one out.
Appalachian State's fifth-inning run came when Parker drew a bases-loaded walk that scored Butler.
In the top of the sixth, another bases-loaded walk, this time from Dodd, forced in Maddy Bloom and the next four runs came from Josey's first-career grand slam/ninth-career home run, a shot to right field. At that point, the Mountaineers were up 13-7 and in complete control.
The Campbells cut the deficit to four, 13-9, with two runs of their own in the bottom the sixth, but App State put it the game away with three more runs in the top half of the seventh. Butler singled in a run, Dodd was hit by a pitch to force in another and Josey earned her sixth RBI with a fielder's choice to round out the scoring.
"Heather stepped up in a crucial spot for us and delivered," added Savage. "That kind of leadership from a sophomore is really exciting for us. We are hoping to continue to build off of that for tomorrow leading into conference play next weekend."
Vanessa Ciocatto got the start and threw 2.2 innings with seven runs given up, but only three were earned. Kennedy (2-3) got her second-career win with 4.1 frames of work, two runs surrendered, just one earned, three walks and five strikeouts.
Sunday, the Mountaineers will close out their play in the Camel Stampede against Loyola-Chicago with first pitch set for 11 a.m.
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Texas State Extends Winning Streak To Five After Saturday Sweep
CLEARWATER, Fla. – Another sweep Saturday afternoon improved Texas State to 4-0 at the USF-Under Armour Invitational and 16-5 overall this season. A 9-1 victory over Penn to start the morning backed by a 5-3 win over Detroit in the afternoon makes that five straight victories for the Texas State softball team.
Game One – Penn
Five straight Bobcats reached base to start the game against the Quakers. Kelli Baker led off the game by getting hit by a pitch. She quickly moved to second on a passed ball and Liscano then filled her void at first by reaching on an error. A single down the left field line by Ariel Ortiz scored Baker for the first run of the game.
A double by Kendall Wiley on the next at bat scored Liscano and moved Ortiz over to third. The 'Cats went on to score two more runs thanks to three walks by the Penn pitching staff.
Three more hits in the second inning led to three more runs and a 7-0 lead for Texas State. Liscano led the inning off with a walk and made her way to third on a wild pitch. She scored the fifth Bobcat run of the day after Taylor Webb hit a single to center field. A double to left center by Sara Rupp scored Webb and Bianca Prado tallied the other Bobcat hit of the inning.
A single to right by Ortiz and a double to left center by Wiley were the two hits that helped lead to two more runs in the third inning by Texas State.
Penn got one run back in the fourth, but a scoreless fifth for the Quakers resulted in the run-rule victory for Texas State.
Randi Rupp earned her 11th victory of the season after putting in three innings of work with five strikeouts. Rupp allowed just two hits. Quincy Charleston came in relief for Rupp in the fourth inning and struck out three while not allowing a walk.
Ortiz and Wiley each tallied two hits in the game for Texas State and Liscano drew a team-high two walks. Penn, in all, gave up seven walks to the Texas State line-up.
Game Two – Detroit
Two runs in the bottom of the first inning quickly gave Texas State a 2-0 lead over the Titans. A walk drawn by Baker led off the game and she ended up scoring on a throwing error by the Titan catcher. Wiley and Kimberlin Naivar each registered a hit in the inning for Texas State.
Detroit and Texas State had a scoreless second before each added one in the third. The Titans combined three hits to score one run and cut the Bobcat lead in half.
Texas State answered in its half of the third. A walk by Webb resulted in a run two batters later for Texas State as Jaelyn Young scored her on a sacrifice fly.
The Bobcats scored one more in the fourth before giving up one in the fifth and sixth to Detroit. In the bottom of the sixth, Prado scored on a wild pitch after making her way to the bases paths with a walk.
Three up, three down by Rupp in the top of the seventh inning gave the sophomore pitcher her second save of the season and the 'Cats 16th win of the year.
Paige Williams earned her fifth victory of the year to improve to 5-1 overall with 4.0 innings pitched against the Titans. Williams struck out one and allowed two earned runs. Rupp came in relief in the fifth inning for Williams and allowed just one unearned run while striking out five.
Braegan Hamilton finished the game a perfect 3-for-3 from the plate with a run scored. Liscano, Wiley, Naivar, and Prado all recorded hits against the Titans.
The Texas State pitchers this weekend have struck out 30 batters while walking just eight. Rupp owns a 23-to-2 strikeout-to-walk ratio this weekend in 14.0 innings pitched. Wiley leads the team this weekend with five hits and Hamilton owns four for Texas State.
Texas State will take to the diamond one more time this weekend on Sunday morning against IPFW. First pitch against the Mastodons is scheduled for 8 a.m. CT.
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JAG SOFTBALL SPLITS SATURDAY IN GAINESVILLE
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – University of South Alabama softball split its two Saturday games at the 2016 Aquafina Invitational after defeating Illinois State, 4-3, and falling 9-0 to No. 1 Florida at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium on the campus of the Gators.
USA (10-7) moves to 2-1 at the event after defeating Florida A&M, 7-3, on Friday. The Jaguars close the weekend with a 8 a.m. (CST) clash with Florida International on Sunday. Links to live stats and play-by-play audio can be found by accessing the Jaguar softball schedule page.
In-game Twitter updates are provided for each USA contest via the program's official handle, @USAJagsSoftball.
The Jaguars manufactured three runs in the final two innings to overcome Illinois State, after the Redbirds used a three-run fourth inning to go ahead, 3-1. Kirsti Merritt went 4-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored to lead top-ranked Florida to a shutout win over USA Saturday afternoon.
Destin Vicknair (5-1) picked up her fifth win of the year after striking out a season-high-tying nine Illinois State batters to only two walks, scattering six hits and allowing three runs (all earned) in six innings. Devin Brown earned her first save of the season after throwing one shutout relief inning.
Brown (5-5) suffered the loss against Florida after giving up five runs (all earned) on eight hits with six strikeouts and five walks in four innings. Vicknair struck out three batters in as many innings of relief, giving up four runs (all earned) on five hits with four walks.
The pair combined to strike out nine batters, the most dealt to the Gators all season.
"I was happy to see Devin and Vicknair pounding the strike zone," said USA head coach Becky Clark. "They executed the game plan we gave them, and they controlled what they could control. For us, we've got to keep working – taking steps forward. We're still not playing our best softball, so we've got to keep working until it clicks."
South Alabama 4, Illinois State 3
USA opened its account in the top of the third when Kristian Foster singled down the left field line to score Emily Messer, who drew a leadoff walk in the inning.
Illinois State (5-13) scratched three runs across in the bottom of the fourth to take a two-run lead on Riley Strandgard's two-RBI base hit to right center and Abby Turczyn's sacrifice fly to center field.
The Jags put up a two-spot in the top of the sixth when Alex Breeden singled through the right side to plate Haleigh Lane, and Savanna Mayo scored on Redbird reliever Sarah Finck's wild pitch, tying the game at 3-3.
USA went ahead, 4-3, on Haleigh Lowe's single to second base, which plated Kaleigh Todd, who led off with an infield single.
Todd and Lowe each finished 2-for-3 to lead the Jaguars at the plate. Both teams finished with seven hits.
Finck suffered the loss after giving up one run (earned) on two hits with three strikeouts and a walk. Starter Ali Domkuski went 5 1/3 innings, striking out five to six walks and allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits.
South Alabama evened its all-time record versus Illinois State to 1-1 with the win.
South Alabama 0, No. 1 Florida 9
The Gators (19-0) scored in all but two innings on Saturday, beginning with a two-spot in the opening frame. Taylore Fuller was hit by Brown's pitch with the bases loaded to send Kelsey Stewart around, and Merritt's infield single allowed Nicole DeWitt to score, as UF took a 2-0 lead.
South Alabama left the bases loaded in the bottom of the first – USA was the designated home team on Saturday – after Messer singled and Stephanie Pilkington and Lowe each walked.
Florida doubled its lead to 4-0 in the top of the third, beginning with Janell Wheaton's leadoff solo home run to left field. Stewart drew a bases-loaded walk later in the inning.
The Jaguars grounded into double plays in the third and fourth innings to bookend Florida's fifth run – Amanda Lorenz's first career home run – in the top of the fourth.
UF tacked its sixth run on the board in the top of the sixth inning on Merritt's base hit through the right side, which scored Fuller, who got on with a one-out triple.
After the Jags went down in order in the bottom of the sixth, Florida posted a three-run seventh inning to go ahead, 9-0, on RBI singles from DeWitt and Lorenz and a bases-loaded walk to Taylor Schwarz.
Five total Gators finished with multiple hits, as Florida outhit the Jags, 13-6, in the game. Messer led all USA batters on 2-for-4 hitting, the senior recording her 10th multiple hit game of the year.
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Cajuns Power Past Southern Miss in Doubleheader Sweep
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Powered by 11 home runs the No. 5-ranked Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns softball team swept a doubleheader from Southern Miss by a 17-1, 13-0 count on Saturday afternoon at the Southern Miss Softball Complex.
The sweep extended the Ragin' Cajuns win streak to 10 games. Both games were halted by the run rule in the fifth inning, the ninth and 10th run rule wins for Louisiana (16-1) this season.
Lexie Elkins and DJ Sanders both finished the doubleheader 4-for-6 at the plate with three home runs and five RBI, homering in both games. Haley Hayden and Aleah Craighton also homered in both games.
Elkins increased her nation-leading season home run total to 14 and upped her career total to 70 which places her in a tie with Christi Orgeron for third place in school history and leaves her two shy of leaping past Holly Tankersley (71 from 2004, 2006-08) for second place.
The Cajuns tied a season-high with five home runs in the opener, then bested the tally with six in the nightcap. The squad hit multiple home runs for the ninth and 10th time through 17 games this season.
Louisiana and Southern Miss wrap up the three-game series with a 1 p.m. single game on Sunday. The game will be broadcast on SportsRadio ESPN 1420-AM with Ian Auzenne on the call. Live video is available for purchase at SouthernMiss.com.
The Ragin' Cajuns stormed out to an 8-0 lead in the first inning of Game 1 on the strength of three home runs. Craighton opened the scoring with a grand slam – the first four of her doubleheader-high six RBI. Sanders followed with a solo home run and Hayden later topped off the scoring with a three-run home run.
Alex Stewart (8-0, 1.91 ERA) retired all six Golden Eagles batters that she faced in her two innings in the circle.
USM (12-10) scratched a run off of Victoria Brown in the bottom of the third inning on a two-out RBI single from Tori Dew. Elkins answered with a two-run home run on the second at bat of the top of the fourth inning to extend the Cajuns lead to 11-1.
Lauren Holifield led off the Golden Eagles' half of the fourth inning with a single, but Brown induced back-to-back ground outs then Alison Deville closed the frame with a ground out of her own.
Hayden led off the top of the fifth with a single up the middle and later scored on a Kelsey Vincent ground out, her third of a doubleheader-high six runs she would score, giving the Cajuns a 14-1 lead. Gabby Felps added a pinch hit RBI single and Sanders' second home run of the game was a two-run shot that wrapped up the scoring.
The first inning of Game 2 was held scoreless after a key defensive play by Kassidy Zeringue. Dew drew a one-out walk for USM and was attempting to reach third base on a subsequent single into right field by Katie Cleary, but Zeringue fired a strike to Kara Gremillion who tagged out Dew.
The Ragin' Cajuns scored five runs in the top of the second inning off a double steal, Hayden RBI single and home runs by Shellie Landry (two-run) and Elkins (solo).
Kylee Jo Trahan (5-1, 1.93 ERA) settled in by retiring the Golden Eagles in order in the second inning and facing just one over the minimum over the final three innings. She scattered four hits and struck out six while facing four over the minimum in five innings.
Craighton led off the Cajuns' half of the third with her second home run of the day increasing the lead to 6-0.
The fourth inning saw a leadoff home run once again, this time from Hayden for the first of five runs that solidified the lead. In the inning, Sanders, a native of Columbus, Miss., posted her third home run of the day.
Elkins finished off the scoring with her second home run of the game in the fifth inning. It marked the senior catcher's second multiple home run game of the season and 13th of her career.
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UTA Defense guides Mavs in Day 1 sweep
HAMMOND, La. - A defensive showdown in Game 1 and an offensive outburst in Game 2 gave UT Arlington softball the Day 1 sweep over Southeastern Louisiana on Saturday.
With the two wins UTA improved to 17-0, the best start of any program in UTA Athletics history. The Mavs are one of only two teams undefeated on the season. The other is No 1. Florida, the two-time defending national champions.
Sandra Mendoza and Kacey Everett each went 3-for-7 on the day. Mendoza pushed her hit streak to 17 games, recording a hit in every game this season. Samantha Clakley got the win in Game 1 to improve to 7-0 on the season. Sam Montes got the win in relief in Game 2 to give her a 5-0 record.
The Mavericks conclude their season-high eight-game road trip with another matchup with Southeastern Louisiana on Sunday at 11 a.m. UTA returns home to host No. 18 Arizona, No. 24 Texas and Samford from March 11-13 in the Maverick Classic. The Mavericks open Sun Belt play at home March 19-20 against No. 5 Louisiana. Tickets for all UTA home games can be purchased at UTATickets.com.
Game 1: UT Arlington 3, Southeastern Louisiana 1
Final Stats
Stellar defense and clutch hitting by Mendoza and Rebecca Stokes guided the Mavs past the Lions in Game 1 of the doubleheader.
Mendoza was the catalyst on offense going to 1-for-3. She drove in the first two Maverick runs and extended her hit streak to 16 games. Brianna Burchianti was one of only two players for either team to record multiple hits, going 2-for-4 in the game. Laura Curry, Kacey Everett and Krista Rude all recorded hits in the game, with Rude pushing her hit streak to 13 games.
Clakley went the distance, allowing one unearned run and striking out six for her seventh complete game on the season.
After surrendering a run in the bottom half of the first inning, much as they have all season, the Mavs quickly responded by scoring a run in the top of the second on an RBI single by Mendoza to score Shelbi Sikes from second base.
With the game tied 1-1 in the fourth inning, the Mavs took the lead on Mendoza's second RBI of the game. Stokes got the ball rolling drawing a one-out walk. Kayci Moore came into pinch run for Stokes, quickly stealing second base and then advancing to third on an error on the play. Mendoza followed suit with an RBI sacrifice fly to score Moore, putting the Mavs on top 2-1.
The Lions posed a threat in the bottom of the fourth but the Mavericks stellar defense helped erase the threat. With a runner on third, Mendoza fielded a slow roller and gunned out the runner out at the plate trying to score. Curry made a nice play ranging her to left to field a ground ball and get the force out at second for the second out. With runners at first and third with two outs, the Lions attempted a double steal, but Kacey Everett was having no part of that, picking off the runner at third to end the inning.
The Mavs tacked on an insurance run in the sixth on an RBI sacrifice fly by Stokes to score Rude, who extended her hit streak to 13 games with a leadoff single in the inning.
In the bottom of the seventh, Clakley retired three straight batters to end the game.
Game 2: UT Arlington 8, Southeastern Louisiana 3
Behind a five run fifth inning, the Mavericks beat Southeastern Louisiana in the second game of the doubleheader.
Eight of the nine Mavericks in the starting lineup recorded at least one hit. Mendoza had two hits, one run scored and a walk, while also extending her hit streak to 17 games. Everett also had a multi-hit game going 2-for-4 with one run and one RBI.
Montes got the win in relief giving up only one hit, one walk, while striking out two in four innings.
UTA got the scoring started in the top of the second following a leadoff single by Foster. Two bunts by Sikes and Rude advanced her to third, before scoring the first run of the game on a wild pitch.
Mendoza wasted no time extending her hit streak to 17 games with a one out single in the third inning. She would later score on an RBI base hit off the bat of Curry. The Mavs added another run in the inning on a Lions error to put the score at 3-0.
The Lions responded in the bottom of the inning with a run, but Simbeck induced a fly out to Mendoza to end the inning.
The Lions got two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to tie the game.
Similarly to Game 1, the Mavs quickly responded scoring five runs in the top of the fifth. Burchianti started the inning off with a five-pitch walk, coming around to score on a Lion error. Barilli, Foster, Sikes, and Everett all came around to score in the inning.
Montes retired the next nine Lions batters to close out the game for UTA.
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GS Softball Wins Two More at Eagle Classic
STATESBORO, Ga. – The Georgia Southern softball team continued play at the Eagle Classic Saturday, holding on for a 4-3 win over North Dakota before rolling past Harvard 12-2 in five innings to run its winning streak to five games.
GAME 1 – GS 4, UND 3
The Eagles fell behind early, but Kierra Camp got out of a bases-loaded jam in the first inning. GS responded back immediately as consecutive hits from Taylor Rogers, Emily Snider, Morgan Robinson and A.J. Hamilton quickly made it 2-1 before a single from Hannah Farrell made it 3-1 in favor of the home team.
After a scoreless frame, Alesha Mann drove in Rowan McGuire to give the Eagles a three-run lead. In the sixth inning, the Fighting Hawks nearly tied it up, but had to settle for two runs to make it 4-3.
UND tried to make it exciting in the seventh inning, but Dixie Raley recorded two strikeouts with the tying run on base to pick up the save.
At the plate, GS recorded six hits, one apiece from Rogers, Snider, Robinson, Hamilton, Farrell and Alesha Mann.
Camp (W, 3-4) went 6.0 innings to pick up the win. She allowed three runs on six hits with two walks and two strikeouts. Raley stuck out three batters in the seventh to end the game after walking the first batter she faced.
GAME 2 – GS 12, HU 2 (5)
Georgia Southern jumped all over the Crimson, plating five runs in the first inning. Hamilton drove in Snider to get the Eagles on the board and then Macy Weeks obliterated an offering over the scoreboard for a grand slam to quickly make it 5-0.
In the second inning, Robinson roped a single to center field to drive in Rogers and India Davis.
Rogers smashed a ball to the gap in the third inning to bring home three more runs, making it 10-1. Farrell then crushed a ball to center field in the fourth inning – her second home run of the season – to make it a 10-run game. The Eagles were ultimately able to end the game early due to the run-ahead rule after posting 12 total runs and holding Harvard to just two total runs.
Robinson, Farrell, Weeks all had two hits while Rogers, Snider, Hamilton and Davis each had one.
Raley (W, 8-3) picked up the win, going all five innings for the Eagles. She allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits with four walks and four strikeouts.
In the other games of the day, Eastern Kentucky downed North Dakota 4-1 and then beat Harvard 7-6.
The Eagles (11-7) will wrap up weekend action on Sunday, taking on Eastern Kentucky (12-3) at 2:30 p.m. Admission is free and the game will be streamed live on GS All-Access for a fee.
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ULM Drops a Pair of Games Saturday in the Crimson Classic
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The ULM softball squad dropped both of its games at the Crimson Classic Saturday, falling 8-0 in five innings to DePaul and 9-1 in six innings to North Dakota State inside Rhoads Stadium.
DePaul 8, ULM 0 (five innings)
Freshman Casey Waterman (2-1) took her first loss of the season after giving up two runs on four hits in the first inning. Juniors Rochelle Roberts and Sidney Coy recorded the only two hits for the Warhawks (12-7). ULM committed a season-high four errors and batted 0-5 with runners in scoring position.
DePaul (3-10) notched two runs in the top of the first inning on four hits and added another in the second on a Naomi Tellez solo homer to left field. Tellez struck again for RBI singles during the Blue Demons’ two-run third and three-run fifth. She finished the game 3-3 with three RBIs and two runs. DePaul combined for 12 hits, the most by a ULM opponent this season, as pitcher Morgan Maize cruised to a complete-game shutout.
NDSU 9, ULM 1 (six innings)
Senior first baseman Amye Barre converted her seventh multiple-hit game, going 2-3 with an RBI as the ULM softball squad gave up seven runs in the final two innings of a 9-1 loss against North Dakota State inside Rhoads Stadium.
NDSU (10-8) scored a run in the first inning on a two-out double from catcher Alyssa Reina. The Bison plated another on a Maritza Lopez-Portillo solo homer in the top of the fourth to make it 2-0.
The Warhawks (12-8) responded in the bottom of the fourth as senior Amye Barre got her second hit of the game, a single down the left field line, to score freshman Sydney McKay, who made her first career start at catcher, to cut the deficit to 2-1.
The Bison closed out the game by scoring seven runs in the final two innings to get the run-rule victory.
Junior Melanie Coyne (8-5) took the loss after giving up five runs (four earned) on four walks and a season-high 10 hits allowed during 4.1 innings of work. Freshman Katlynn Kaminski logged 1.2 innings in relief and gave up four runs (one earned) as the Warhawks committed four errors for the second straight contest.
ULM returns to action tomorrow in the 1:30 p.m. finale versus No. 2 Alabama on SEC Network Plus.