BOONE, N.C. — Southern Miss softball (21-13, Sun Belt 3-2) defeated Appalachian State (21-8, Sun Belt 2-3) 13-4 in five innings Saturday, forcing a decisive game three of the series.
The Golden Eagles scored three multi-run innings, including a six-run top of the fifth, to secure the run-rule victory. Carrie Green led the offense with three hits and four RBIs, including a triple, while four players recorded multiple hits and RBIs.
Madilyn Graham, who entered in the second inning, earned the win and improved to 6-3 this season. She pitched effectively through five innings, allowing four runs on seven hits with two strikeouts.
Southern Miss opened the scoring in the second inning, with Kayce Bennett hitting her second home run of the season to start a four-run frame. Julia Glasgow and Hannah Christian followed with RBI singles, and Green’s wild pitch allowed Glasgow to swipe home, making it 4-1.
Appalachian State responded in the bottom of the second with a leadoff homer from Leah Gore. The Mountaineers added two more runs on back-to-back RBIs after a single and double, tying the game at 4-4.
In the fourth, Christian’s second hit of the game and Abbi Troquille’s hit-by-pitch set up Green, who tripled to right center to clear the bases. Jolie Hays then drove in a run with a sacrifice fly, giving Southern Miss a 7-4 lead.
The Golden Eagles exploded in the fifth, starting with an error that allowed Nealy McManus to reach. Christian added an RBI single, and Green’s double brought in two more runs. Hays, Kinsley-Gordon Sivley, and Carrie Green contributed additional RBIs, pushing the lead to 13-4.
Graham closed out the game in the bottom of the fifth, retiring the Mountaineers in order to secure the five-inning victory. The series now moves to a rubber match scheduled for 10 a.m. CST Sunday, which will be streamed on ESPN+.
Southern Miss players and staff will look to clinch the series in the final game. For updates, follow the program on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram.
Notable stats include Kayce Bennett’s second home run of the season and Nealy McManus’s 77 assists, tying her for 11th in the nation. Abbi Troquille is ranked fourth nationally in hit-by-pitches with 13, and Hannah Christian is among the top 10 in hits with 48. The team also ranks second nationally in sacrifice flies with 20.
