App State stays perfect with 16-7 victory
Courtesy of App State Athletics
Senior catcher Hayden Cross fist bumps assistant coach Britt Johnson during App State’s 16-7 victory over High Point Feb. 21, 2023.
February 22, 2023
App State baseball continued its dominant play against High Point Tuesday, winning 16-7 and improving to 4-0 for the first time since 2011.
The Mountaineers got on the board first as senior infielder Luke Drumheller singled to right center field and brought sophomore utility player CJ Boyd and senior catcher Hayden Cross home in the fourth inning. Drumheller was sent home as redshirt senior first baseman Golston Gillespie singled through the right side.
Drumheller ended the night with one hit, two RBIs and four runs in two at-bats because he was walked three times.
On the mound to start and pitch four innings was sophomore right-handed pitcher Collin Welch, and he struck out three Panther batters and allowed two hits.
High Point responded in the fifth inning with two home runs to tie the game 3-3.
App State didn’t look back with a nine-run sixth inning to break the game open. The inning was highlighted by Gillespie hitting a three-run home run to right field, his first home run as a Mountaineer. Gillespie finished the game with three hits and a career-high six RBIs, the most by a Mountaineer in recorded history.
With the Black and Gold up 12-3, Cross doubled to left field in the seventh inning, advancing junior outfielder Xavier Moronta home. Moronta had four hits, two runs and three RBIs while reaching base 16 times in his first four games as a Mountaineer. Cross had a career-high four hits, two runs and one RBI.
The Panthers showed signs of a comeback by totaling four runs in the seventh and eighth inning to narrow the App State lead to 15-7. Those hopes of a High Point comeback were dashed as Boyd homered to left field in the ninth inning to extend the lead to 16-7. Boyd ended his night with three hits, three RBIs and three runs.
The Mountaineers look to protect their perfect record as they face off against North Carolina A&T in a three-game weekend series. Friday’s game will occur at Truist Point Stadium in High Point at 5 p.m. and streamed on FloBaseball. Both teams will travel Saturday at 3 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. to War Memorial Stadium in Greensboro and streamed on FloBaseball.
