FOREST CITY, N.C. - On the strength of a third-straight impressive pitching display to open the 2010 season, Appalachian State University baseball defeated Gardner-Webb, 8-2, on Tuesday afternoon at McNair Field.

Appalachian (3-0), which allowed just one total run and held opposing hitters to a miniscule .145 batting average in wins over Presbyterian and USC Upstate last weekend, surrendered just one earned run on seven hits in Tuesday's victory. Taylor Miller, Will Helms, Nathan Hyatt and Chris Patterson combined to toss Tuesday's gem.

ASU actually trailed for the first time all season when Gardner-Webb (0-4) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. However, the deficit was short-lived, as a two-run single by true freshman Tyler Zupcic gave Appalachian a 2-1 advantage in the top of the third.

David Towarnicky stretched the lead to 3-1 with a solo home run — his first hit of the year — in the top of the fourth and that would be all the Mountaineers would need, as GWU would only manage to plate an unearned run in the fifth against the Apps' hurlers the rest of the way. ASU tacked on a single tally in the seventh and four in the ninth to account for the final margin.

Miller (1-0) recorded the win in his first outing of the year, allowing just one run and striking out three while working four innings of the planned split start. Patterson earned his first save of the season by closing out the game with two scoreless stanzas.

Zupcic (3-for-4, three RBI) and Towarnicky (3-for-5, two RBI) paced the Mountaineers' 12-hit attack. Wes Hobson also drove in two runs in the winning effort.

Appalachian returns to McNair Field this weekend when it and Gardner-Webb co-host the inaugural North-South Challenge. ASU plays Niagara on Friday at 3 p.m., 2009 NCAA Regional participant Marist on Saturday at 1 p.m. and Niagara again on Sunday at 1 p.m.