App State softball traveled to Knoxville, Tennessee to play in the Tennessee Invitational from Friday to Sunday. The Mountaineers went 2-3 in the event.
The first game against North Carolina Central University was all App State.
After not scoring in the first couple innings, the Black and Gold scored 2 runs in the third, and exploded for 5 in the fourth, highlighted by a double that scored 3 runs from senior second baseman Makayla McClain
The Mountaineers scored 2 more runs in the fifth inning, and the game was called due to the mercy rule with a 9-0 score.
Game two was against the hosts and the nation’s top ranked team, the University of Tennessee Volunteers.
McClain hit the game off with a home run to left field, and the pitching staff was able to hold the Volunteers scoreless in the first four innings. Once Tennessee snapped the scoring drought, they took off, scoring 6 runs in the fifth inning and 3 runs in the sixth to win the game.
Game three was the second game against NC Central.
McClain doubled to open the scoring in the first, junior shortstop Grace Barrett swatted one over the left field fence for a home run and freshman third baseman Taylor Schafer followed up by going back-to-back. The Mountaineers scored 4 runs in the first inning.
The Eagles scored 3 unearned runs in the second, but freshman designated player Madison Fletcher smashed a three run home run to go back up 4.
App State added 1 run in the fifth and 1 run in the sixth to win the game 9-3.
Game four was against the Pennsylvania State University Nittany Lions, who were the No. 23 ranked team.
Penn State got on the board in the first, but the Mountaineers responded with 3 runs in the third to take the lead. The Nittany Lions big inning was the fourth, scoring 6 runs, mainly due to sloppy defense from the Black and Gold.
Both teams grabbed a run in the fifth, and Penn State won it 10-5.
The final game was once again against Tennessee.
Similarly to the first game against the Volunteers, McClain homered on her first trip to the plate. She was moved down in the lineup to second, and her homer in this game drove in 2 runs.
That was all the offense the Mountaineers could muster against the Tennessee pitching staff, and the Volunteers offense scored 3 runs in the third.
Tennessee added a 3 run homer in the sixth, and took the game 6-2.
App State will head back to Boone and play their first home games of the season in the Mountaineer Classic. They will play Furman University and Queens University from Friday to Sunday.
