By Jacob Plecker. BOONE, N.C. – Trailing by two runs entering the fifth inning, the App State Softball team needed a spark to close the game. They found that in a huge way with 10 runs in the final two innings, including four home runs, helping App State post a run-rule victory over the Georgia Southern Eagles 10-2 on March 22.
The Mountaineers didn’t record a hit until the fourth inning of play but tallied seven hits across the last two innings.
Madison McIntyre helped spark a six-run fifth inning with a solo home run over the left-field wall, which was the Mountaineers’ (10-19, 1-4 SBC) first long ball at their new stadium. McIntyre struck again in the sixth inning for a two-run homer, marking her first career multi-homer game at the collegiate level. The freshman first-baseman tallied three RBI on the day and has five runs driven in heading into the series finale on Sunday.
App State went ahead for good in the fifth inning after Leah Gore belted a high-arching grand slam over the left-field wall after seeing the Eagles (19-13, 3-2 SBC) make a pitching change. Gore’s go-ahead grand slam was App State’s second of the season. Makayla McClain provided the last of the fireworks as she hit a walk-off two-run home run into right-center field, her fourth of the year, helping send the Mountaineer faithful home happy.
Left-handed pitcher Sophie Moshos dazzled in the circle for the Mountaineers in game 2, going the distance while allowing just two runs. Both runs came with two outs in the third inning. Moshos struck out three hitters, putting her at 396 for her career, and posted her sixth win of the season.
How it Happened
The Mountaineer defense started the contest strong on Saturday, posting a 1-2-3 top of the first inning. Moshos tallied the first strikeout of her day to close the frame. Macy Hamby worked a one-out walk in the bottom of the first and stole second, but App State couldn’t get her home, leaving the game scoreless after a full inning.
Another perfect inning by Moshos sent the Mountaineer bats right back into the dugout, and Marti Henkel drew the Mountaineers’ second walk of the game. Georgia Southern didn’t let Henkel get past first base, however, and kept the score at 0-0 entering the third.
The Eagles saw their first baserunner reach to lead off the third inning, a walk to Madi Gillespie. McIntyre helped record the first out of the inning by making a diving play in foul territory on a sacrifice bunt attempt before a fielder’s choice quickly tallied the second out. But Georgia Southern struck first with back-to-back doubles to plate two runs with two outs. It would be the last time the Eagles scored in the game.
Trailing for the first time in the game, the Mountaineer bats went quietly in the bottom of the third, but Moshos didn’t let that stop her as she stranded the bases loaded to keep App State’s deficit to just two after three and a half innings. App State recorded its first hit in the bottom of the fourth, a two-out double by Henkel, but she was tagged out after sliding past the bag.
Moshos continued to keep the Eagles in check in the fifth inning by working around a walk to throw up another zero. Then, the App State bats woke up and took the lead in the bottom of the fifth.
App State’s six-run inning began with an out, but McIntyre’s first home run of the game trimmed the deficit in half as she shot the first home run at the newly constructed Sywassink/Lloyd Family stadium over the right-center field wall. With one out, Taylor Chumbley reached base on an error and Summer Simpson shot a single into left field to put runners on the corners for McClain.
