Appalachian Completes Sweep With 5-2 Win

BOONE, N.C. - Appalachian State University softball continued to pound out hits as the Mountaineers completed a three-game sweep of Elon Tuesday afternoon with a 5-2 victory.

The Mountaineers never trailed in the contest and got 10 hits, four of them from Brittany Gaston who finished the afternoon 4-for-4 with two RBI. Kayla Richardson earned the complete-game victory in the circle, scattering seven hits and striking out six. Elon’s Brandi Jones drove in both Phoenix runs with a two-run home run in the second inning.

Appalachian (15-26, 7-5 SoCon) scored two runs in the first inning with an RBI double from Brittany Gaston and an RBI single from Kristyn Hurt after an error by the second baseman extended the inning.

Jones’ home run in the next inning tied the game at 2-2. However, the Apps tacked on two more runs in the bottom half with Ashley Gaston doubling to lead off the inning. Gaston then stole third and advanced home on a throwing error. Two batters later Danielle Peters hit an inside-the-park home run into the right-field corner.

ASU added an insurance run in the sixth inning as Brittany Gaston’s second double of the afternoon scored Glover from first base.

Meanwhile, Richardson finished out the game only allowing two hits in the final four innings of play.

Schroeder suffered the loss for the Phoenix (22-21, 6-6 SoCon), giving up 10 hits and five runs (two earned) in the complete-game effort. The three-game sweep was ASU’s first-ever over Elon and third against a SoCon opponent.

ASU, which leapfrogged Elon for third in the SoCon standings with the win, will try to add to its four-game win streak this weekend when it travels to Chattanooga to face the league-leading Mocs in a three-game series.