BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – In a game that needed just 125 pitches to put away, Appalachian State University baseball got its second win of the weekend over Gardner-Webb, winning 4-2 on Saturday afternoon at Bill Masters Field.
The Mountaineers (3-3) scored three of their four runs on the day with to the help of sacrifice bunts in the fifth and seventh inning, while junior Reed Howell got out of a late jam against the Runnin' Bulldog (2-5) to get the save.
Howell completed the great day for pitchers by coming in the ninth and striking back-to-back batters with runners on second and third to keep the win for the Black and Gold.
After Appalachian scored in the second by junior Drake Zupcic getting his first career triple to bring around Chandler Seagle, Robert Langdon laid down a sacrifice bunt in the fifth to move Zupcic to second and senior Brian Bauk to third. From there, Bauk was able to steal home after GWU's pitcher threw a wild pitch before sophomore Jason Curtis singled to center field to score in Zupcic.
Curtis then added App State's final run of the game in the seventh when he sacrifice bunt Langdon to second who brought around by a Matt Vernon single to center.
The Black and Gold's bottom of the order carried the team offensively as their four runs on the day came from the 4-8 spots in the order. Overall, however, the game marks the first time this season that they have reached 10-plus hits for a game.
Sophomore lefty Colin Schmid received the win, going 7.1 innings and striking out seven batters with only allowing two runs. Sophomore Will Herman also came in in relief for two batters, striking out both to get to the ninth.
The Mountaineers will look to sweep the series against Gardner-Webb on Sunday, Feb. 25. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. and is broadcast on Big South Network.
