Posted by TTU Sports Information
on April 23, 2003

BOONE, N.C. – Two outstanding pitching performances, one by Tennessee Tech's Lori Bayless and one by Appalachian's Jordan Arnold, helped their teams to a non-conference doubleheader softball split at a cold and blustery Watauga County Softball Complex Tuesday afternoon. The Golden Eagles claimed the opener 7-0, but managed only three singles in a 3-0 loss in the second contest.

Tech improved to 33-13 overall, running its winning streak to five games before its loss. Appalachian State finished the day with a 12-27 overall record.

Golden Eagle starter Lori Bayless was nearly flawless in the opener as she stymied the Appalachian bats and carried a perfect game into the fifth inning. After retiring 14 straight Mountaineer batters, an error in the outfield foiled her bid for Tech's first perfect game since Heather Peterson pitched a gem in 1995. Bayless would go on to surrender three hits in the game, but took the complete game shutout to improve her record to 11-5. She is 6-0 in her last six decision. Against ASU, she walked two and struck out six.

Sophomore Kacy Bennett hit two home runs and Samantha Lovelady and Amy Goad each homered once as the Golden Eagles provided plenty of offense behind Bayless. Tech jumped ahead 1-0 in the second inning when Goad led off with a double to center field, followed by an RBI single from freshman Lindsey Bornhoeft.

In the third, the Golden Eagles added three more thanks to back-to-back home runs by Bennett and Goad. Bennett's blast, a two-run shot, boosted the lead to 3-0 followed by Goad's solo blast. Tech struck again in the fourth by adding three more on two more home runs, a two-run blast by Lovelady and Bennett's second of the game and sixth of the season.

Game two would have a decidedly different tone as neither team was able to produce much offense. Tia Brenning (12-6) held the home team scoreless for five innings, but suffered the loss when the Golden Eagle bats went silent. Appalachian State scored three times in the sixth -- two of them unearned -- for the win.

Appalachian had a chance to take a quick lead in the first inning with a walk, a stolen base and a groudout to advance the runner to third before Brenning got a strikeout on a fastball on the outside corner to end the threat.

Neither team produced much offense as Brenning and Arnold locked up in a tough pitcher's duel. Tech got a single in the second by Marianne Novac, a single in the third by Stephanie Dallmann, and a single in the fourth by Amy Goad. Arnold (4-8) walked two and struck out two in getting the win. Brenning, meanwhile, held the Mountaineers without a hit for the first three innings, and gave up two singles in the fourth but got out of that jam.

Appalachian finally broke through in the bottom of the sixth. Mary Lewis singled up the middle with one out, and Sarah Gough laced a double to left-center field, putting runners on second and third. Lael Rorie hit a soft grounder midway between home plate and third base, and Lewis' slide around Bennett put Appalachian on the board at 1-0. Candace Shelton hit a sharp grounder up the middle and the off-balance throw to first was errant, allowing two more runs to score for a 3-0 lead.

The Golden Eagles return to Cookeville to host East Tennessee State Wednesday at 3 p.m. in a non-conference doubleheader.