Mountaineers Split Home Finale With Radford

BOONE, N.C. -Appalachian State softball closed out its home season by splitting a doubleheader with visiting Radford Tuesday afternoon at the ASU Softball Stadium.

The Mountaineers (18-33) prevailed in the first game, 3-1, behind one of Kristyn Hurt’s (Siler City, N.C./Jordan-Matthews) two, two-run homers. Radford (36-23) took the second game, 9-3, courtesy of 12 hits off the Appalachian staff.

In addition to Hurt’s two, two-run shots, Diana Cook (Concord, N.C./Central Cabarrus) continued to swing a hot stick, going 4-for-6 on the afternoon. Cassie Rhodes paced the Highlanders with a 5-for-6 afternoon.

Kayla Richardson (West Jefferson, N.C./Ashe County) got the complete- game victory for ASU in the opener, scattering seven hits and allowing one run. Radford got its lone run in the top of the second inning off Alex Roderick’s sacrifice fly that scored Sarah Himan.

The Mountaineers answered with a three-run fourth inning with Cook scoring on Kasey Motsinger’s (Yadkinville, N.C./Forbusy) double down the left-field line before Hurt cleared the bases with a shot over the left-field fence. Richardson only allowed one hit and one baserunner over the final three innings for the win.

The Apps’ fortunes didn’t hold up in the second game as Radford opened the contest with a four-run first inning that featured a two-run homer from Hope Creasy. The Highlanders tacked on three more runs in the fourth, the last two coming off a Jenn Everhart double.

Hurt put the Mountaineers on the board in the bottom of the sixth with a towering shot to center field that scored Brittany Gaston (Roswell, Ga./Roswell). Radford added two insurance runs in the seventh off a Roderick home run. ASU closed out the bottom half of the frame with a solo shot from Ashley Gaston (Roswell, Ga./Roswell) for the final 9-3 tally.

The Mountaineers will break for finals before beginning the stretch run of their schedule on Friday, May 4 with a doubleheader at Winthrop starting at 4 p.m.