Appalachian State 8, Presbyterian 5; Appalachian State 13, Presbyterian 3
CLINTON, S.C. - Ashley Gaston and Morgan Price each hit three-run homers in game two to lead Appalachian State University softball to a 13-3 win in game two over Presbyterian Wednesday afternoon.
With the sweep, Appalachian moves to 9-8 on the season and is over .500 for the first time this season. It is also the latest in a season that an Appalachian team has been over .500.
Yancy Moose and Kayla Richardson combined on a three-hitter in the circle for ASU as the Mountaineers pounded out 10 hits and broke the record for runs scored in a doubleheader, 21, that they set on Saturday against Samford.
Ashley Gaston went 3-for-3 with three runs scored and four RBIs while Katie Boyd finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored. The Mountaineers got started early with a three-run shot by Ashley Gaston. Presbyterian got single runs in the first and second innings, but Price's three-run homer in the third increased the lead to 6-2.
ASU got a run in the fourth on an RBI hit by pitch by Ashley Gaston before exploding for six runs in the sixth inning. Amanda Brooks and Sarah Rappe had RBIs in the inning while ASU took advantage of an error a wild pitch and a passed ball by the Blue Hose defense.
In game one, Boyd, Lighton and Ashley Gaston led off the top of the seventh inning with back-to-back-to-back home runs to break a 5-5 tie and give ASU an 8-5 in game one in a doubleheader against Presbyterian.
Teri Fister pitched six strong innings in relief allowing three runs while striking out four in picking up her first win of the season.
The Mountaineers got on the scoreboard in the first inning again, as Boyd and Lighton smacked back-to-back RBI doubles for the 2-0 lead. Presbyterian tied the score on two solo homers in the bottom half of the inning.
After Presbyterian took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the second, Brittany Gaston tied the score with an RBI single in the third inning, but PC retook the lead in the bottom half of the inning.
Boyd and Lighton gave the Mountaineers a 5-4 lead with back-to-back sacrifice flies in the fifth, but Presbyterian tied it once again in the bottom half of the inning to setup the dramatic top of the seventh inning.
Appalachian returns to conference play this weekend when they travel to Georgia Southern for a three game series.
Georgia State 5, Western Carolina 0; Georgia State 7, Western Carolina 3
CULLOWHEE, N.C. ? Western Carolina softball (5-12) dropped a pair of games to Georgia State (11-8), 5-0, 7-3, Wednesday at the Catamount Softball Complex.
In game one, the Panther’s Alana Thomas (3-3) shutout the Catamounts in seven innings allowing just four hits and striking out one. Georgia State took a quick 1-0 lead to start the game thanks to an RBI single by Catherine Lee. In the fifth inning, Georgia State added three runs and then tacked on a single run in the seventh inning.
Catamount freshman lefty hurler Katie King took the loss, falling to 2-4, allowing five runs, with only one being earned, on 11 hits and striking out two. Western Carolina had four hits in the game with singles by Amber Hawkins, Beth Hauser, Lauren Ross and Mollie Fowler.
Western Carolina jumped out to a 2-0 lead, scoring a pair of runs, to start the second game. With two outs, Hawkins hit a single through the right side and then Stephanie Beatty doubled to place runners at second and third. Hauser hit a two RBI single through the left side scoring Hawkins and Beatty.
Georgia State answered in the top of the second, exploding for four runs. A two RBI double by Lauren Jones and an RBI single by Danielle Roddy aided it while the fourth run was courtesy of a Catamount miscue.
After giving up four runs, starting Catamount pitcher Lauren Ross held Georgia State scoreless for the middle innings, third, fourth and fifth, before the Panthers scored one run in the sixth and two runs in the top of the seventh. Ross took the loss in the contest and falls to 3-4, allowing six hits and three earned runs and striking out three.
Ross accounted for some of Western Carolina’s offense as she it her first homerun of the season over the centerfield wall in the bottom of the seventh inning. It is the 28th homerun of her career and builds on her school record total.
Hauser and Ross each had two hits in the second game. Georgia State’s Erin Collins earns the win and improves to 3-1.
Western Carolina returns to action March 14 when the Catamounts travel to Elon. First pitch in the doubleheader, Saturday, begins at 1 p.m.
Charleston Southern 6, Furman 1; Charleston Southern 2, Furman 1
Charleston, S.C. -- Megan Lombard delivered a two-out, two-run single in the third inning of game two to lead Charleston Southern to a 2-1 victory and doubleheader sweep of the Furman Paladins on Wednesday afternoon at Buccaneer Field in Charleston, S.C. CSU downed Furman 6-1 in game one.
The Buccaneers improved to 13-12 on the season with the sweep while Furman’s losing streak moved to five games as the Paladins slipped to 4-13.
Amy Trenkamp and Megan Hall reached on back-to-back singles in the bottom of the third and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Lombard worked a 2-2 count before slicing a bloop single down the right field line to give the Buccaneers a 2-1 lead.
Sondra Vetter limited the Paladins to just one run on four hits in a complete game effort. Vetter fanned seven batters without allowing a walk to improve to 5-3 in the circle.
Furman took an early 1-0 in the top of the third with a two-out rally.
Abby Robertson lined a two-out single to right field and scored on Stephanie Cushing’s double into the left-center field gap.
Bethany Ullrich (0-3) surrendered two runs on six hits over four innings to take the loss for the Paladins. Stephanie Mihaly tossed two scoreless innings of relief for Furman. Abby Robertson went 3-for-3 with a run in the loss.
In game one, the Buccaneers struck for five runs in the opening two innings on their way to a 6-1 victory.
Lisa Rice opened the scoring with a two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the first. Trenkamp and Brittany York delivered RBI singles in the second to help CSU stretch the lead to 5-0.
Jamie Wellons (8-8) tossed a complete game holding Furman to one run on six hits. The senior struck out two without issuing a base on balls.
Cushing and Robertson each collected a pair of hits for Furman while Morgan Hughey added an RBI double. Lana Mackey (3-6) suffered the loss for Furman. The junior allowed three runs on just one hit in 3.2 innings in the circle.
South Carolina State will host Furman on Saturday in a 1 p.m. doubleheader in Orangeburg, S.C., to conclude the Paladins’ seven-game road trip.