BOONE, N.C. – Appalachian State University baseball's comeback attempt in Game One fell just shy to start of the doubleheader against South Alabama on Saturday afternoon at Smith Stadium.
On a day that saw 43 runs and 67 hits between two games, it featured wild contests from the Mountaineers (19-31, 8-18 Sun Belt) and Jaguars (33-18, 19-7 Sun Belt).
GAME ONE: South Alabama 8, App State 6
Calev Grubbs and Matt Vernon helped lead a rally attempt as Appalachian fought back from a five-run deficit to tie up the game in the seventh.
Grubbs finished 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI while Vernon went 3-for-5 with one RBI. Tyler Stroup and Jason Curtis both finished 2-for-5 with doubles, while Stroup had two RBI and Curtis had one.
Brian Bauk also finished with two hits while Avery Jackson hit the fifth RBI of the game.
Entering the seventh down 5-0, the Mountaineers went on a five-run rally in the inning to climb back into the game. After Bauk walked to start things off, Matt Brill singled to right field to move him to third. Then, Jackson shot one through the left side to bring home Bauk and move Brill to second. Grubbs followed that with a single of his own, allowing Brill to cross the plate.
Curtis then reached on a fielder's choice RBI that brought home Jackson before Vernon fired a bullet through the right side to plate Grubbs. The tying run would come on a Stroup double to left center that allowed Curtis to score.
South Alabama would be able to extend its lead in the eighth by scoring three runs, but Appalachian would score one in the ninth off a Curtis double and Stroup infield single.
The Mountaineers used five pitchers in the game with
Colin Schmid (New Bern, N.C./New Bern) on the hill for the first six innings. Schmid struck out five batters while allowing five runs.
Tristan Helms (Aberdeen, N.C./Pinecrest) and
Matt Schaeffer (Port St. Lucie, Fla./John Carroll Catholic (Tallahassee C.C.)) went the next inning, allowing just a hit and a run between them.
Reed Howell (Goldsboro, N.C./Rosewood) and Bobby Hampton (Pikeville, N.C./C.B. Aycock) finished out the final two innings, striking out one.
GAME TWO: South Alabama 24, App State 5
The Mountaineers were unable to overcome three-straight four-plus innings in Game Two of the series, culminating with a 10-spot in the top of the fifth to put the game out of reach.
Matt Vernon was once again impressive at the plate, going 3-for-5 in Game Two and launching his sixth home run of the season. Conner Leonard led the way with RBI, having three on a 2-for-4 day. Tyler Stroup got another double and RBI for the day, finishing 2-for-5. Brian Bauk also finished with a double.
Tristan Helms had an impressive day in relief, going 4.1 innings and allowing just six hits and three runs while striking out six batters – one shy of his career high.
A first-pitch Bauk double in the second starting things for Appalachian. Leonard then knocked him around off a single up the middle. Then in the sixth, a 1-0 hitter's count triple by Vernon and Stroup screamer through the left side put another run on the board.
App State scored two in the eighth, started by a Drake Zupcic single to right center field. Avery Jackson then got a base hit to center field before capitalizing on a fielding error to advance everyone a base. Leonard then cleared the bases with a rocket down the left field line.
In the ninth inning, Vernon pulled a 1-1 pitch hard to get the home run and the final run of the game.
The Mountaineers will conclude the series and regular season at home on Sunday, May 14. First pitch is set for 11 a.m. with Senior Day and graduation festivities taking place at 10:30 a.m.
