By Bobby Neal for App State Sports. WILMINGTON, N.C. — App State softball improved its weekend record to 3-0 on Feb. 25, completing the season sweep over Georgetown with a 3-1 victory before knocking down UNCW, 6-4.
The Mountaineers tallied four home runs on the day while striking out 10 batters. They posted 21 total runs compared to their opponents’ 11. Kaley Coltrain was the player of the day, bombing back-to-back home runs in App State’s rally against the Seahawks.
Game 1 Recap (App State 3, Georgetown 1)
The Mountaineers earned three runs on nine hits to start their Saturday, beginning on the fourth pitch of the game when Kayt Houston homered to center field to give her team a 1-0 advantage.
The Black & Gold allowed no hits through the first two innings with Sejal Neas in the circle. Neas struck out five batters and pitched all seven, improving to 2-1 on the season.
The next run of the game came in the fourth inning when the Mountaineers made noise at the plate. After two batters were put out, Mary Pierce Barnes singled to third base with a bunt before Kylie LaRousa sent App State’s second home run past the fence, increasing the lead to three.
Georgetown’s Kayla Dunn responded with a home run to open the bottom of the fourth inning in what would be the only score for the Hoyas. The Mountaineers allowed only one more hit through the last four innings, also by Dunn.
Barnes and Emily Parrott led the way in the hits column with two apiece.
McKenzie McCullen punched 11 of App State’s 21 putouts from first base.
Across two games over the weekend, App State out-ran Georgetown, 6-1. The Mountaineers allowed only two runs through four games (Seton Hall, Presbyterian, Georgetown [x2]).
Game 2 Recap (App State 6, UNCW 4)
The Black & Gold posted their third straight win in dramatic fashion during their second game of the day, scoring five unanswered runs to flip a two-score deficit.
App State’s offense started the game strong as Parrott singled down the left field line to open the first. McCullen followed that hit with a single that brought in her teammate, giving the Mountaineers a 1-0 advantage that lasted until the bottom of the fourth.
After allowing only two hits through the first three innings, the App State defense gave up a three-run homer by UNCW’s Morgan Britt, giving the Seahawks a two-run lead.
At the top of the fifth, App State needed momentum, and Coltrain delivered. The graduate student slammed her first home run as a Mountaineer to open the inning.
In the next inning, Houston continued the scoring momentum with a two-run single to put her team back on top. Coltrain homered once again in the very next at-bat.
Each team would record one more hit as App State remained perfect for the weekend.
Coltrain, Houston, Taylor Thorp and Addie Wray each had two hits in the second game of the day, leading the team that had 12 against the hosting Seahawks.
Kaylie Northrop pitched a complete game and punched five strikeouts.
Up Next
The Mountaineers will finish the weekend on the coast with a pair of games on Sunday. App State will match up with Eastern Washington at 9 a.m. before rematching UNCW at 2 p.m.
