App State baseball rode a two-RBI night from junior designated hitter Kameron Miller,featuring a long home run and eight scoreless innings thrown by Mountaineers pitchers to a 3-1 victory over East Tennessee State University in Boone Tuesday.
The Buccaneers scored the opening run on a sacrifice fly in the top of the first inning. Their lead didn’t last long, as the Mountaineers hit back-to-back singles and Miller drove in sophomore right fielder Riley Luft with an RBI groundout to tie the game in the bottom of the first.
(Noah Williford)
One batter later, senior infielder Jake Mummau ripped a double to right center, allowing sophomore infielder Ethan Puig to score with ease and give App State a 2-1 lead.
Both teams made frequent pitching changes in what quickly turned into a bullpen game, with ETSU using eight different relievers, while Mountaineers head coach Kermit Smith called on five pitchers to take the mound.
The near-constant use of different pitchers worked, as neither the Buccaneers nor the Mountaineers could get consistent hitting. App State threatened with two runners in scoring position in the bottom of the third, but Miller lined into a double play to end the inning. No runner advanced past first base in the fourth or fifth innings as the offensive struggles continued for both teams.
However, those struggles quickly ended for the Mountaineers in the bottom of the sixth inning. Miller blasted a 1-2 pitch 438 feet into the left field trees and flipped his bat, giving App State a 3-1 lead. Miller’s fourth home run of the season also gave him a homer in three straight games.
The Buccaneers’ bats remained ice-cold for the remainder of the game, as they had only one hit in the final four innings. An error in the ninth inning allowed the tying run to come up to bat for ETSU, but the team could not capitalize on the mishap. Senior left-handed pitcher Jake Beaty earned the save, and App State celebrated the 3-1 win.
With the victory, App State has won four straight games and matched its win total of 23 from last season with 13 games remaining in the regular season. The Mountaineers will host rival Georgia Southern University at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium in a weekend series. First pitch Friday is scheduled for 6 p.m., and all three games will be streamed live on ESPN+.
