GREENSBORO, N.C.  – Appalachian State University softball split the day falling 1-0 to UMBC in the morning and silencing Howard 11-0 in the afternoon at the Aggie Invitational in Greensboro on Saturday.

“Our pitchers threw really well again today,” said head coach Janice Savage. “We are starting to get some really consistent outings out of them, which is exciting. I think offensively we still have to get a little more consistent with our bats. We have a really hot game and have 12 to 18 hits, and then in the next game, we are kind of flat. So we just have to figure ourselves out offensively and stop rollercoaster riding and stay straight through.”

Appalachian improved to 3-4 on Saturday after going 1-1 in Greensboro. For the day, 11 Mountaineers made connections with the ball, and four ladies recorded multiple hits including Alisha Josey (2-for-6), Jenny Dodd (2-for-6), Keri White (3-for-4) and Katie Mathewson (2-for-4). Also, seven ladies pounded out RBI, and Cara Parker blasted out her second homer of the season.

Appalachian's pitching staff turned in two great performances that included seven hits, one earned run and 19 total strikeouts. Ten of those strikeouts came from Kenzie Longanecker (career-high) in the first game.

Game One: UMBC 1, App State 0

The first four innings of the ballgame were dormant with each team smacking out one hit a piece. Then at the top of the fifth, UMBC smashed a triple down left center which set the runner up to score off of Longanecker's wild pitch.

App was ready to tie up the score and eventually take the advantage in the bottom of the fifth when Parker reached first base due to a hit by pitch and White singled to the shortstop. Up next was Mathewson who pinched for Megan Walker and fired out a single to load all the bases. App was in position to tie up the game, but Natalie Orcutt  couldn't find the right pitch to bat a runner in and popped out at right field.

After Longanecker had tossed out three strikeouts in the top of the sixth and seventh, App was eager to build off of her momentum and challenge UMBC's lead. After two quick outs in the bottom of the seventh, Taylor Rivenburgh pinched in to hit, but couldn't find the right swing and the Retrievers took the ballgame 1-0.

Longanecker (2-2) had an outstanding 3.1 innings firing out a career-high ten strikeouts with one earned run and one walk. In the starting position was Vanessa Ciocatto who pitched for 3.2 innings.

Game Two: App State 11, Howard 0

Appalachian hit the ground rolling, scoring one run in the first and tagging on two more in the second to take the early 3-0 lead.

In the top of the third, App added on four more to the board with Stewart smashing a double to right center for a RBI, Parker bombing one over the left center fence for 2 RBI and White jetting home on a passed ball.

After App's defense had neutralized The Bison's offense for a third-straight time, the Black and Gold racked up three more runs in the top of the fourth. A. Josey started App off with a single to right field, and Dodd accompanied that with a RBI double. H. Josey kept the momentum flowing swatting out a single RBI to stretch Apps' lead to 9-0, and Ally Walterscontinued the scoring stream when she sprinted home on a passed ball to give App State the ten run lead.

After Russell had produced a great double play for outs two and three in the bottom of the fourth, the Black and Gold knew a victory was near. Then in the bottom of the fifth, Rivenb urgh would answer the final call when she sent out a missile to right center for a RBI single to solidify the shutout 11-0.

Ciocatto (1-2 grabbed her second start of the day dishing out six strikeouts in 3.0 innings. In relief was Katie Williford and Annaleise Kennedy who both pitched an inning a piece and collectively hurled out six strikeouts.

Up Next

The Black and Gold will finish up action at the Aggie Invitational tomorrow, Feb. 19, when they play Valparaiso at 11 a.m. and UMBC at 1 p.m.