BOONE, N.C. - Appalachian State University softball snapped a 16-game losing streak in its final two games of the season on Sunday by sweeping North Carolina A&T with scores of 8-0 in six innings and 9-4 in the rematch.
"I'm excited to end the season on a positive note and it was great to send our seniors out with two wins at home," said head coach Janice Savage. "I'm looking forward to our girls finishing strongly on their exams and beginning training for next season."
The Black and Gold finished 2016 with an overall record of 11-45 while the Aggies head into the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament at 17-30. In App State's two wins, three Mountaineers finished with at least three hits on the day including Heather Josey (6-for-8), Ally Walters (3-of-3) and Megan Walker (3-for-5).
In game one, Josey turned in her first-career four-hit game and ended her sophomore campaign on an absolute tear. In the last four games, she was a combined 10-of-17 (.588) with four runs scored, three RBI, four doubles, and one home run. The right-handed first baseman raised her average by 32 points in that span from .287 to .319.
Walters didn't play in game one against North Carolina A&T, but more than made up for lost time in the nightcap. In game two, she was a perfect 3-for-3 with five RBI, both of which are career highs for the freshman. Prior to today, she had never brought in more than two runs in a single game.
As for Walter's fellow freshman, Walker, she saved her best for last. The Raleigh native ended her rookie year by going 8-of-16 (.500) with five runs scored, two RBI, one double, and one triple. Her average was .204 before that surge and .246 after it.
Not mentioned above is Cara Parker who had two hits and four runs scored including a three-run home run in game one. In the single-season record books, the junior finished third in home runs with 12 and tied for third in RBI with 45. Career wise, she is now third in home runs with 30 and fourth in RBI with 99.
When it comes to RBI, Jenny Dodd had two in game one to put her season total at 43. That mark is tied with Allie Cashion (2010) for the most by a freshman in program history. That's just one of the notes that make her season one of the best by a first-year player in App State history.
Seniors Katherine Johnson and Pepper Butler donned the Black and Gold for the final time on Sunday. Johnson was out due to injury while Butler had one hit in game two.
Game One: App State 8, North Carolina A&T 0 (6 Inn.)
Appalachian State scored three runs in the first, one in the fifth, four more in the sixth, and that was all the run support Annaleise Kennedy (3-15) needed thanks to a brilliant start in the circle. Kennedy earned her third complete game of the season (first shutout) and needed just 76 pitches to complete the six innings pitched. The freshman gave up only one hit, three walks and struck out a career-high eight batters.
Team-wise, the Black and Gold had 12 hits to push their streak with 10-plus in a single game to three, the longest of the season.
Game Two: App State 9, North Carolina A&T 4
In game two, the Mountaineers were up 7-0 before North Carolina A&T could get anything going. The Aggies, however, did score three in the fourth and one in the fifth to cut the deficit to three, but it never got any closer than that. App State added two insurance runs in the home half of the fifth.
Vanessa Ciocatto (8-21) got the start and went the distance with her eighth complete game of the season. Ciocatto gave up four earned runs on 10 hits with two free passes and three punchouts.
Looking ahead to 2017 and year three for coach Savage at the helm, Appalachian State will return 16 of its 18 players including its top five batting averages and four of the five pitchers that logged innings this season. Those 16 will be joined by a recruiting class with 16 more student-athletes in it.
