LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Appalachian State University baseball took a three-run lead into the eighth inning against University of Arkansas at Little Rock but fell in the series finale, 7-5, in extra innings at Gary Hogan Field on Sunday afternoon.
The Mountaineers (7-21, 2-10 Sun Belt) took a 5-4 lead in the top of ninth on Conner Leonard's RBI single that drove in Brandon Burris and sent the game into extra innings, but Joesph Palino hit a two-run home run over the left field wall in the bottom of the 10th to seal the victory and weekend series sweep for the Trojans (10-13, 7-4 Sun Belt).
Travis Holden got the Sunday start and pitched well for Mountaineers, going seven innings with no walks and three strike outs. Holden had only given up one run going into the eighth. The freshman gave up a home run to the first batter he faced in the eighth which cut the Mountaineer lead to two. Holden's day ended after the next batter reached on an infield single.
With a man on first base, Dallas DeVrieze entered the game to relieve Holden. DeVriese saw the UALR center fielder reach on a bunt and then two batters later gave an RBI double that brought the tying run to third base. Tanner Rockwell then flew out the center field allowing the runner on third to tag a score, knotting the game at four runs apiece. Ryan Ross entered the game and struck out his first batter to get out of the inning.
In the ninth inning, Burris singled up the middle and then stole second to get into scoring position. Burris then advanced on Michael Pierson ground out. With two outs, Leonard singled through the hole in the left side of the infield to plate the go-ahead run. The game looked to be over when with one out UALR second baseman hit a ground ball to Pierson who tried to turn the double play by flipping the ball to Dillon Dobson for the out at second, but Dobson's throw was not in time to get Kyle Barret out at first.
With Runners on the corners, pinch hitter Ryan McSwain doubled into left field, bringing the tying run across the plate. Brian Bauk kept the Mountaineers alive with an incredible diving catch in center field to end the inning.
The Mountaineers got two men on base with one out in the top of the 10th, but Bauk grounded into a double play and UALR escaped the inning.
Matt Brill came into the game for Ross. Brill walked the first batter but then retired the next two, bringing Palino to the plate with two outs. Paulino made the most of his first at bat of the game and hit the game-winning home run.
The home run marked the third-straight walk-off loss of the weekend for the Mountaineers, who fall to 2-12 in games decided by two runs or less this season.
The Mountaineers will try to bounce back with two midweek games against High Point at home on Tuesday and at North Carolina A&T on Wednesday.
