STATESBORO - Appalachian State's Haley Stewart drove in the winning run in the top of the eighth inning to give the Mountaineers a 6-5 Sun Belt Conference extra-inning softball victory over Georgia Southern on Saturday afternoon at Eagle Field.
The Mountaineers (13-6, 3-0 SBC) completed the conference series sweep of the Eagles (13-10, 0-3 SBC) as both teams opened up league play this weekend. Georgia Southern returns to action on Wednesday, visiting the University of North Florida for a 5 p.m. non-conference contest against the Ospreys in Jacksonville.
"Obviously, it's not how we wanted to start conference play," Georgia Southern Head Coach Kim Dean said. "But kudos to Appalachian State, they played three outstanding games and really took advantage of some of our mistakes. We need to get back to the drawing board, and we have to better prepare our athletes. The Sun Belt Conference is challenging and we learned today the things we need to be better at. We'll get after it this week, by traveling down to Jacksonville on Wednesday, then coming back home again to be a little bit better prepared to take on Coastal Carolina on the weekend."
Georgia Southern struck first in the contest, getting a two-out, two-run double from Hannah Farrell in the bottom of the first inning to take a 2-0 lead.
Appalachian State answered with a five-run third inning, highlighted by a two-run home run from Ally Walters.
The Eagles used the longball to draw even as Shelby Wilson drilled a two-run blast to left in the third, then Allyssah Mullis had a solo shot leading off the fifth inning that made the score 5-5.
The Mountaineers pushed across the winning run in the top of the eighth as Kari White singled to start hte inning, then Caylie Kifer bunted a ball in the box that appeared to be foul, but was ruled a fair ball putting runners on first and third. Following a strikeout, Stewart delivered the go-ahead RBI single to left, putting Appalachian State up by one.
Wilson got on in the bottom of the eighth with a single, and moved to second when Hannah Farrell was hit by a pitch with two out. The Mountaineers' Kenzie Longanecker retired Ashlynn Gunter on a groundout to third to close out the win.
Longanecker (7-0) picked up the win for the Mountaineers, hurling five innings of three-hit, one-run relief, striking out seven. Rylee Waldrep (3-6) took the loss in relief for the Eagles, giving up eight hits and two runs in 5 2/3 innings of work, walking one while striking out two.
Wilson's 2-for-3 day with two RBI led the Eagles at the plate, while Mekhia Freeman also collected two hits, including a triple. Kifer's 3-for-3 day paced the Mountaineers, with Walters adding two hits and two RBI.
