BOONE, N.C. — Appalachian State (6-19) looks to improve to 4-1 in midweek road games when it faces Radford (10-16) on Tuesday at 6 p.m. in Virginia.
The Mountaineers have won at Western Carolina (13-3), N.C. Central (6-0) and Gardner-Webb (8-4). The lone midweek loss was 7-3 at Wake Forest.
The probable pitcher, junior right-hander
Brandon Boone (1-2), has started in five of his six appearances this year. He has a 3.68 ERA in a starting role, as he's allowed nine earned runs through 22.0 innings. He allowed five hits, recorded seven strikeouts and issued no walks in six scoreless innings against N.C. Central and allowed three hits while striking out seven batters in five innings against Wake Forest.
Radford's probable starter is sophomore right-hander Brandon Donovan, who has pitched a total of 2.1 innings in two bullpen appearances.
RECAPPING THE SERIES HISTORY
Appalachian State has an 11-6 record against the Highlanders in a series that began in 1985.
App State swept Radford last season, winning 13-9 in Boone and 7-5 on the road.
Tristan Helms picked up the win in relief at home, as the Mountaineers erased a 9-8 deficit with a three-run seventh inning.
Conner Leonard hit one of App State's three homers in the road win, and Radford trailed 7-3 in the ninth.
TAKING A BOW OUT OF THE BULLPEN
App State's primary relievers have 86 strikeouts in 88.1 innings this season.
Kaleb Bowman (24 Ks in 19.2 IP),
Reed Howell (17 Ks in 12.1 IP) and
Luke Watts (18 Ks in 16.1 IP) are all averaging more than a strikeout per inning.
Cameron Kepley (8 Ks in 9.1 IP) and
Andrew Papp (5Ks in 5.2 IP) are close to that figure.
Bowman, a junior transfer from Spartanburg Methodist, has given up no runs, allowed seven hits and struck out 16 batters in his last 12 innings of work.
He struck out five batters and allowed two hits in two scoreless innings of the series opener at Georgia Southern, and strikeouts accounted for three of his four outs in a scoreless appearance last Tuesday, when he picked up his first career victory in the 8-4 win at Gardner-Webb. He pitched three scoreless innings against South Alabama on Saturday.
Last year at Spartanburg Methodist, Bowman had a 4.58 ERA and 5-4 record on the mound with 53 strikeouts in 57 innings.
Kepley and Watts both had two strikeouts in perfect innings to close out the win at Gardner-Webb. Senior left-hander
Tristan Helms had five straight scoreless appearances leading up to the South Alabama series, and Watts had given up one run over 7.0 innings in his last eight appearances leading up to the Georgia Southern series. He had scoreless innings against Gardner-Webb and South Alabama.
PRODUCING IN A TIMELY FASHION
Third baseman
Drew Beck has posted at least one hit in 16 of his 24 appearances, including each of the last four. He's hitting .286 with runners on base and has seven RBIs in nine opportunities with a runner on third and less than two outs.
Last year at Howard College in Texas, he hit .419 with eight HRs, 59 RBIs and 21 doubles.
WEATHERING THE STORM
App State will be playing away from home for the 23rd time in its first 26 games. A three-game home series against Marshall occurred after seven straight road games to open the season, and the trip to Radford will be the Mountaineers' 16th straight game outside of Boone.
