STATESBORO, Ga. - The Georgia Southern softball team used a pair of late-inning rallies to come away with a Sun Belt Conference doubleheader sweep of visiting Appalachian State on Senior Day Saturday at Eagle Field in Statesboro. The Eagles won game one in walk-off fashion, 8-7, then took game two, 12-9.
The wins ensures a fourth Sun Belt series win for Georgia Southern (26-22, 10-13 SBC) this season, while Appalachian State falls to 16-32 overall and 3-17 in league play. The two teams wrap up their three-game series on Sunday with a 1 p.m. contest. The game will be a part of the Sun Belt Conference's "Cover Your Bases" initiative to help raise awareness and knowledge of the dangers of skin cancer, in conjunction with the American Cancer Society.
"These were great team wins today," Georgia Southern Head Coach Kim Dean said. "One where we had to come back all the way, and one where we took the lead, they tied it back up, and we were able to push a few across that gave us an opportunity to solidify the sweep. I'm really proud of the seniors, I think they played outstanding today and I think the team fought hard for them. We are in good spirits heading into tomorrow, where we are looking to break through and collect that first Sun Belt series sweep of the year."
Game one began with Appalachian State building a 4-0 lead through the first three innings, thanks to home runs from Baylee Morton and Haley Stewart. The Eagles began their comeback in the bottom of the third with a Mekhia Freeman sacrifice fly, then climbed to within one run in the fourth on senior Alesha Mann's two-run double to right field.Â
Georgia Southern pushed ahead in the sixth on a two-run home run by Macy Coleman to take a 5-4 lead into the seventh inning. Appalachian State rallied with three run sin the seventh to seemingly take control of the game, 7-5, but the Eagles got a run on an error, tied the game on Hannah Farrell's RBI single and then won it on Logan Harrell's walk-off RBI single.
Kaylee Ramos (4-4) hurled 2/3 of an inning in the seventh to pick up the win in relief. Kenzie Longanecker (7-17) took the loss for the Mountaineers, giving up eight hits and eight runs - three earned - in 6 1/3 innings, walking two and striking out five.
Mann went 2-for-3 with two RBI to lead the Eagles in game one offensively, while both Stewart and Keri White had two hits and two runs scored for Appalachian State.
In game two, it was the Eagles who would build an early lead as an Allyssah Mullis RBI single in the first put the home team up 1-0. A three-run home run from Appalachian State's Morton made the score 3-1 in the top of the second, but Georgia Southern batted around in the bottom of the second, getting a two-run single from Mekhia Freeman, an RBI single from senior Haley Carter and a three-run blast from Mullis to lead 7-3 after two innings.
Appalachian State tied things up in the top of the third with a two-run double by Ally Walters and a two-run home run from Morton. The 7-7 score would remain that way until the sixth inning, when a pair of errors would lead to a five-run outburst, capped by a three-run home run down the left field line by Shelby Wilson. The Mountaineers would get two runs in the top of the seventh to cap the scoring.
Ramos again would notch the win for the Eagles in relief, throwing three innings of one-hit shutout ball, striking out three. Reliever Katie Williford was saddled with the loss for the Mountaineers, giving up five unearned runs and six hits in 4 2/3 innings of work, striking out one.
Mullis went 2-for-4 with four RBI, while Wilson and Freeman also had three hits in the second game for Georgia Southern. Morton's 2-for-3 game with five RBI paced the Mountaineers.Â
After the doubleheader, the Eagles honored their five seniors, who are playing their final home games at Eagle Field this weekend. Seniors Kierra Camp, Haley Carter, India Davis, Heather Felt and Alesha Mann all got into the games today and were recognized by the fans on the field.
