Starting freshman pitcher Tyler Tuthill (4-1) went seven innings on a cold and windy day allowing nine hits and two runs in a 9-3 win over Georgia State in the second of the three game series.

“I thought Tyler (Tuthill) did a great job,” head coach Kermit Smith said. “Been doing a good job for us all year.”

The Mountaineers lost 2-0 on Friday in the first game of the series in a pitcher’s duel against a preseason All-American in Georgia State’s Hunter Gaddis. App State had five hits and three errors in that game.

“Today it’s not really changing what we do, not trying to do too much, just come out here and continue to be us and continue to do what we do,” hitting coach Erik Lunde said.

Sophomore outfielder Tyler Leek hit a deep sacrifice fly to center field with the bases loaded for two RBIs in the bottom of the second to give the Mountaineers their first lead of the day. App State never looked back.

The bottom of the fifth inning saw freshman outfielder Dalton Williams, who went 2-2, score sophomore infielder Bailey Welch on a single to right center.

Freshman infielder Andrew Terrell went 2-3 with a two-run double in in the bottom of the seventh to give the Mountaineers a comfortable 9-2 lead. Leek and Terrell had three RBIs apiece.

“I think they struggled to get in the zone and we just took advantage of it,” Lunde said. “We didn’t give them anything.”

The Mountaineers drew seven walks and struck out six times, including three times in the bottom of the eighth.

“It’s always great when you can trust your hitters no matter what you do on the mound you know you’re going to get run support behind you,” Tuthill said.

Tuthill faced runners on the corners with one out in the top of the third. He escaped after giving up one run when Georgia State hit into a double play.

Georgia State’s only other run off of Tuthill came from designated hitter Elian Merejo, who hit a solo home run to start off the top of the sixth, but retired the next three in order.

“I just kind of have the mentality that it is what it is,” Tuthill said. “Once it leaves your hand you have no control over it. I knew once that happened I wasn’t going to let anyone else get on that inning.”

The Mountaineers face Georgia State on Sunday tied in the series 1-1 with sophomore pitcher Cameron Kepley as the probable starter.

“I think we’re in a good spot with our bullpen and everything else so I think we’re in a good position to wrap the series up,” Smith said.

NOTABLE STATS:

The Mountaineers used two pitchers in Tuthill and junior Jack Hartman. Tuthill pitched a total of 98 pitches with three strikeouts and 1 walk. Hartman had 46 pitches with four strikeouts and two walks and one earned run.  

Two mountaineers made mistakes on the base paths with freshman outfielder Phillip Cole picked off at first in the bottom of the fifth and sophomore infielder Bailey Welch caught stealing second in the top of the sixth.

Dalton Williams, who went 2-for-2, tied senior catcher Riley Smith in RBIs with seven each this season.