BOONE, N.C. – The ULM softball team picked up two Sun Belt conference victories Saturday against Appalachian State inside Sywassink/Lloyd Family Stadium.
ULM 9, App State 5
Junior Melanie Coyne tossed her 10th complete game of the season and senior Amye Barre and junior Rochelle Roberts each collected three hits in the Warhawks' 9-5 triumph over App State.
ULM (13-9, 1-0 SBC) scored quickly in the bottom of the first inning after freshman Sydney McKay brought home Roberts on a bunt single and Barre cleared the bases with a three-run homerun to right center which gave the Warhawks an early 4-0 advantage.
Junior Vanessa Garcia followed suit in the bottom of the third as she scored Barre on a two-run homer to left. App State (4-18, 0-1 SBC) countered by scoring two in the top of the fourth but RBI singles from Barre and fellow senior Faith Bohack quickly brought the advantage back to six at 8-2 in the bottom half.
The Mountaineers scored three in the sixth on a Jenny Dodd three-run homer to left center before Coyne (9-6, 3.20 ERA) closed the door in the seventh, striking out two of the final three hitters she faced.
ULM 6, App State 5 (8 inn.)
Junior Rochelle Roberts pushed a solo walk-off homerun to left center that lifted the Warhawks to a 6-5 win over App State.
It was App State (4-19, 0-2 SBC) who jumped out early this go round, scoring two runs in the first half inning on a Heather Josey two-run homer. ULM (14-9, 2-0 SBC) responded by scoring three in the bottom half. After three straight singles and a fielder's choice that scored one, junior Vanessa Garcia singled to right and junior McKinley Marks later scored on a passed ball to put the Warhawks ahead 3-2.
Mountaineer catcher Jenny Dodd hit her second three-run homerun of the day in the top of the third before Garcia drove home senior Amye Barre in during the bottom half to cut the deficit to 5-4.
Sophomore Paige Porter and freshman Katlynn Kaminski then threw a combined 5.2 innings and did not allow a run while scattering four hits and striking out five which allowed ULM to scratch a run in the seventh on a wild pitch and Roberts' game-winner in the eighth.
The series will conclude tomorrow with first pitch scheduled for 10 a.m. CT.
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