In a crucial three-game series for App State baseball’s postseason hopes, the Mountaineers defended their home turf and grabbed a pair of wins against Marshall University.
After subpar defense and pitching let the Mountaineers down Thursday, the Black and Gold turned things around Friday and Saturday to claim 2 big conference victories.
Marshall started the series opener Thursday by grabbing a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Sophomore infielder Ethan Puig answered for the Mountaineers in the bottom of the first with an infield single that allowed graduate student infielder Steven Smith to score.
(Parker Lunn)
App State took the lead in the bottom of the second inning on a 2-run double to right field by senior infielder Jake Mummau, who finished the night with 3 hits, however, his good work with the bat was undone by a poor defensive showing.
Marshall tied the game in the top of the fourth inning on a base hit, then reclaimed the lead later in the inning on Mummau’s first of 3 errors when a grounder snuck underneath his glove, allowing a run to score.
The Mountaineers responded again in the bottom of the fourth. Senior outfielder Charlie Evans hit an infield single with the bases loaded, forcing in the tying run. Smith followed Evans’ single with a 2-run base hit to center field, giving App State a 6-4 lead.
The defense and pitching unraveled for the Mountaineers in the top of the fifth inning.
Redshirt junior infielder Jonathan Xuereb committed an error — his first of 2 on the night — and the Thundering Herd pounced on the miscue. Marshall took control of the game with a 4-run outburst and never looked back.
Marshall added 2 more runs in the sixth and seventh innings, and coasted to a 12-6 win.
Friday night, App State evened the series with a dramatic 5-4 victory.
Evans started the scoring for the Mountaineers with a sacrifice fly in the second inning.
Junior designated hitter Kameron Miller doubled the Black and Gold’s lead in the third inning with a sharply-hit RBI single.
(Parker Lunn)
The Marshall defense slipped up in the sixth inning, allowing graduate student infielder Joseph Zamora to score on a wild throw by the Thundering Herd shortstop.
Redshirt junior right-handed pitcher Nick DiRito carved through the Marshall lineup in the first 6 innings, but was pulled in the top of the seventh after allowing an RBI double. Senior left-handed pitcher Reyn Watson took over on the mound but couldn’t stop the rally, as Marshall tacked on 3 more runs to take a 4-3 lead.
Zamora ripped an RBI single in the bottom of the seventh inning that tied the game, and in the bottom of the eighth inning, Puig delivered the go-ahead run with a line-drive single to left field that brought home Zamora and got the Mountaineers fans out of their seats.
Redshirt senior right-handed pitcher Jordan Fisher got a quick groundout to begin the top of the ninth inning, but allowed the tying run to reach first base when he hit a batter. Fisher immediately made up for his mistake and promptly picked off the runner for the second out, and senior outfielder Tank Yaghoubi made a sliding grab in left field to secure the 5-4 victory.
The series finale Saturday started with the Thundering Herd taking an early 1-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI single.
App State answered with a quartet of runs in the second inning. Freshman catcher Colton Denton launched a solo home run that broke a 10-game home run drought for the Mountaineers. Evans roped an RBI double to right center field and later scored on a Marshall fielding error. Sophomore utility player Riley Luft capped the inning with an RBI base hit up the middle.
The score remained 4-1 until the top of the fifth inning when Marshall plated a pair of runs. The Black and Gold countered with 3 runs in the bottom of the fifth courtesy of an Evans sacrifice fly, Yaghoubi RBI single and Smith RBI double.
Yaghoubi and Smith added 2 more runs to the Mountaineers’ total in the seventh inning, and Mummau gave App State their tenth run of the game with an RBI single in the eighth inning.
Marshall made it a 6-run game in the ninth inning on a bases-loaded hit by pitch, but the Mountaineers had more than enough of a cushion to hold on for a 10-4 win.
App State sits at 5-7 in conference play and is tenth in the Sun Belt standings; the Sun Belt Championship in late May consists of the top 10 teams by conference record.
The Mountaineers will visit UNC-Asheville Tuesday after beating them 17-7 last Tuesday. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. and the game will be streamed live on ESPN+.
