BOONE, N.C. – Avery Jackson's walk off home run to lead off the bottom of the ninth rallied Appalachian State University baseball past ETSU, 8-7, on Tuesday night at Smith Stadium.
Jackson sailed the third pitch from ETSU reliever Dillon Cate (L, 0-1) just inside the left field foul pole to set off a wild celebration at the plate. The Mountaineers (17-24), who trailed for most of the night, scored the final three runs to overcome a two-run deficit in their final four at-bats.
Relievers Tristan Helms and Sean Mason (W, 1-2) combined for 3.1 scoreless innings to hold ETSU (19-19) down after the Buccaneers took a 7-5 lead in the top of the sixth. Mason struck out two in 2.2 innings of work and did not allow a hit.
App trailed early, falling behind 2-0 in the first, but chipped away at ETSU's lead all night, scoring once in the sixth, again in the eighth, and finally walking off on the ninth.
Jason Curtis' RBI single with the infield in scored Matt Vernon to tie the game in the seventh. Vernon tripled off the centerfield fence with one out and Curtis lined a single off the glove of reliever Peyton Taylor to knot it at 7-7. App took advantage of three ETSU wild pitches in the sixth to cut the lead to 7-6 at the time.
App cut into the lead in the third on a two-out, RBI single from Jackson to score pinch runner Connor Baldy and make it 4-3, ETSU.
The Mountaineers grabbed the lead an inning later on an RBI single from Bradley Davis to score Brian Bauk, who reached with a leadoff double. Vernon followed with a double down the left field line to plate Davis and give the Apps their first advantage at 5-4.
ETSU would re-tie the game in the fifth as the see-saw continued, taking a two-run lead in the sixth.
The Mountaineers would close the gap in the sixth as Vernon was able to score off a wild pitch after reaching by walk before they tied the game in the eighth. Vernon shot a triple to center field before being driven home by a Curtis RBI single up the middle.
Vernon finished 3-for-4 and scored three times, while Jackson went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored.
The Mountaineers will conclude their seven-game homestand with a three-game series with Arkansas State on Friday night at Smith Stadium. First pitch is at 6 p.m.
