CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Appalachian State held a lead at North Carolina until the 12th-ranked Tar Heels used a three-run fifth to pull ahead in a 4-1 win Tuesday night at Boshamer Stadium.
Joel McDaniel's RBI double in the fourth inning brought home
Kendall McGowan, who had advanced to second on a two-out single by
Conner Leonard.
Beau Myers contributed a 4-for-4 night at the plate as the Mountaineers (8-22) posted seven hits.
App State pitchers
Brandon Boone,
Luke Watts,
Tristan Helms and
Andrew Papp limited UNC (22-11) to six hits.
"I tell ya, you have to give
Brandon Boone a lot of credit this year," App State head coach
Kermit Smith said. "He's pitched very well and given us a chance to win every start. That's all you can ask for.
"Luke continues to have a great senior season, and I thought Papp was as good as he's been since he's been here. We've got a big game tomorrow, so we need to get home and get a good night's sleep and get ready to go."
The Mountaineers, who arrived in Chapel Hill with a 4-1 midweek road record thanks to Boone's strong pitching, return to action Wednesday at 6 p.m. against North Carolina A&T in Greensboro's War Memorial Stadium.
Boone (2-3) had another encouraging start Tuesday, taking a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the fifth inning. The Tar Heels had two runners on with one out in the first, but Boone recorded a strikeout on a 3-2 pitch and catcher
Bradley Davis immediately threw to third to erase a steal attempt.
Boone stranded two runners in the second and retired the side in order in the fourth.
Ashton McGee led off UNC's half of the fifth with a triple and scored on an RBI groundout to third base before back-to-back walks set up a tiebreaking double from Kyle Datres.
Watts replaced Boone and had no choice but to throw to first on a slow-rolling grounder that produced a third run.
App State's best chance to rally occurred in the seventh inning, which began with a Myers single and continued with two-out walks to McGowan and
Drew Beck, who fouled off a pair of 3-2 pitches. UNC reliever Josh Hiatt entered the game and ended the threat with a strikeout.
The Tar Heels added an unearned run in the bottom half of the seventh, and the bases were still loaded when Papp induced a one-out grounder to Beck at third base. Beck stepped on the bag, and Leonard made a nice pick on the throw to first to complete the double play.
Papp retired the side in order in the eighth inning, striking out one batter. Watts' appearance included back-to-back strikeouts on 3-2 pitches to strand two runners in the sixth.
