HIGH POINT, N.C. – A six-run fourth inning was just enough for Appalachian State University baseball, despite a late rally by High Point, as the Mountaineers defeated HPU 8-5 Tuesday night at Williard Stadium.
Despite the run explosion in the fourth inning, the night belonged to left-hander Chad Farmer, who was just short of his first career complete-game victory. Famer ran into some trouble in the ninth, but still recorded the longest outing of his career (8.1 IP) while striking out seven High Point batters.
As the teams went scoreless thru two innings, Dillon Dobson led off the third inning with a double down the left field line. Moving over to a third on a groundout, Dobson eventually scored the first run of the game on Hector Crespo's single to left field.
In the next inning, Appalachian's scoring spree began with two outs in the inning. Jaylin Davis and Will Callaway began the inning with back-to-back singles, but saw two back-to-back outs in what looked to be a quick inning. With Dobson up, the first baseman skied a ball into left field. HPU's Stephen Wytiaz got under the ball, but was unable to secure in his glove, allowing two runs to score.
With the error, the floodgates opened for the Mountaineer offense, as they pounded three straight singles by Crespo, Brandon Burris and Davis to score six runs in the inning.
The Panthers got on the scoreboard next in the sixth inning when Farmer hit a bump in the road. Dane McDermott led off the inning with a single and eventually rounded the bases and scored on a fielder's choice by Ryan Retz.
App State tacked on an insurance run in the top of ninth, as Farmer looked to earn the complete game in the bottom of the ninth. With back-to-back singles and a double by Willie Media, HPU started its late rally in the ninth.
Josh Wilson entered the game with one out in the final inning, but gave up a single to McDermott for his team-leading third hit of the game. Media and Dominic Fazio scored on the play to bring the score to 8-5. Wilson settled in and got the next two batters to ground out to shut the door on the Panthers.
Davis paced the Mountaineer lineup with a 3-for-5 day with one RBI and a run. Crespo finished 2-for-4 with two RBI and Callaway was one of the three Appalachian hitters to have a multi-hit game as the shortstop claimed two hits and two runs.
The Apps will be off for less than 24 hours before heading to Thomasville, N.C. for their second-straight matchup with a Big South Conference opponent, as they face off with Campbell in a neutral site game on Wednesday. First pitch from Finch Field is set for 6 p.m.
NOTES: Farmer set career-highs in strikeouts with seven and innings pitched with 8.1 … Appalachian has now captured 11 of its last 15 games, including four of the first five on its current nine-game road stint … App State is now 6-1 in non-conference road games for the year … With the win, Appalachian improves to 30-23 all-time against High Point in a series that dates back to 1956 … Crespo extends his hitting streak to 10 games, while catcher Gabe Dimock snapped his nine-game hitting streak, finishing 0-for-4 … Callaway extends his hitting streak to nine games with two hits on the day … In his last five games, Davis is 12-for-21 (.571).
