Southeastern is 2-8 against Appalachian since March of 2017 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Tuesday. The Southeastern Mustangs will take on the Appalachian Eagles at 4:30 p.m. Southeastern's pitching crew has only allowed 2.4 runs per game this season, so Appalachian's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Things were looking good for Southeastern after they put the first points on the board on Thursday, but unfortunately for them things went downhill from there. They fell just short of Locust Fork by a score of 6-5.
Emellie Hamilton put in work while hitting and pitching. She struck out 12 batters over seven innings while giving up just two earned (and four unearned) runs off eight hits. Hamilton was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run while going 2-for-3.
Hamilton wasn't the only one making solid contact as three players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Alyssa Freeman, who scored a run while going 1-for-4. Freeman also hit a double, marking her first of the season. Taylor Moon was another, scoring a run while going 1-for-3.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Appalachian). They were the clear victor by an 11-5 margin over Victory Christian on Friday. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Eagles.
Sarah Metcalf spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned (and four unearned) runs on 11 hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one walk any time she's pitched this season.
On the hitting side, Graci McGuire was a standout: she scored three runs while going 3-for-3. The team also got some help courtesy of Kylee Owens, who went 1-for-2 with one home run and two RBI.
Appalachian kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. That's the most hits they've managed all season.
Appalachian now has a winning record of 3-2. As for Southeastern, their defeat dropped their record down to 6-4.
Appalachian's hitters will have their work cut out for them on Tuesday. Southeastern has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.4 strikeouts per game. It's a different story for Appalachian, though, as they've been averaging only 3.4 strikeouts. Will Southeastern keep running through batters, or will Appalachian buck the trend?
Southeastern skirted past Appalachian 2-1 when the teams last played back in April of 2024. The rematch might be a little tougher for Southeastern since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
