ASU Box Score | USC Upstate Box Score
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The University of Dayton softball team (2-9) fell 4-2 to Appalachian State (7-5) and USC Upstate (15-0) on Friday at the Subway Spartan Classic. The Flyers snapped USC Upstate’s streak of nine consecutive games without allowing a run, and also broke another streak in which the USC Upstate had not allowed an earned run through the first 14 games of the season.
Sophomore left-handed pitcher Alysha Isaacson was 2-for-4 against USC Upstate on Friday. Isaacson (1-4) also pitched 5.1 innings for UD in that game.
“Alysha pitched well and was 2-for-4 against USC Upstate,” University of Dayton Softball Head Coach Cara LaPlaca said. “Unfortunately, we left too many runners on base in key situations.”
Freshman Kayla English (0-2) pitched a complete game against Appalachian State. English had five strikeouts and one walk in 6.0 innings pitched.
Junior Kathleen Maloof moved into second all-time, surpassing alum Missy Mellott, with her 33rd career double on Friday against Appalachian State. Maloof was 2-for-5 with an RBI, a double and a stolen base.
Senior Lauren Nacke was 2-for-6 on the day with a pair of RBI. Senior Brandy Brown also had an RBI.
“We are looking for more offensive production throughout our lineup,” LaPlaca said. “We need to do a better job with our opportunities when runners are in scoring position.”
Appalachian State shot out to a 4-0 lead after a two-run double and a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning.
In the top of the fourth, UD began its charge back. Brown drove home a run on a ground out to the short stop Megan Rembielak. Later in the inning, Nacke struck for the Flyers singling past Megan Rembielak to pull within two, 4-2.
English struck out four batters over the course of the final three innings to keep UD in the hunt, however, the Flyers could not generate enough offense to overcome the Mountaineers.
In game two on Friday, USC Upstate took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning after Maddison Kieffer doubled, bringing home Janna Lewis.
The Flyers struck back in the fourth inning, scoring the first earned runs of any of USC Upstate’s opponents this season. Maloof knotted the game at one apiece with an RBI single to right field. Nacke pulled UD ahead 2-1 on a single to left field.
The Spartans tied the game in the bottom of the fifth inning on a hit from Lindsay Kelly. USC Upstate’s Ashley Butler hit a two-run home run in the bottom of sixth to take a two run lead, 4-2.
With two outs and the tying run at the plate in the seventh inning, the Flyers were unable to tie the game for a second time, falling to the Spartans.
Dayton returns to action on Saturday facing Appalachian State and USC Upstate at Cyrill Stadium. Game times have been moved to 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. due to the expected weather overnight in the Spartanburg, S.C. area.
