ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Appalachian State's
Kaleb Bowman kept UNC Asheville from breaking the game open, and his timely relief appearance set the stage for a game-changing outburst from the Mountaineers' offense.
App State posted an 8-2 road win against the Bulldogs on Wednesday night thanks to seven two-out runs in the third inning. The Mountaineers (13-18) faced a manageable 2-0 deficit entering the third because Bowman, who took the mound with one out and two runners in scoring position following a two-run sequence for UNC Asheville, immediately recorded a strikeout and induced a lineout to diving center fielder
Alex Leshock.
Bowman's 2.2 innings of scoreless relief allowed him to improve to 4-0 this season, go to 6-0 in his two-year App State career and lower his ERA to 1.59. His ERA ranks No. 4 nationally among pitchers with at least 15 appearances this season.
Bowman relieved freshman starter
Austin Primm, who pitched a scoreless first inning and gave up the two runs (one earned) in the second inning.
Jason Cornatzer allowed one hit in three scoreless innings against the Bulldogs (11-20) after taking the mound in the fifth, and the Mountaineers got a scoreless inning apiece from
Jack Hartman (two strikeouts) and
Andrew Papp.
Robbie Young opened the seven-run third inning with a single, but UNC Asheville starter Danny Wilson retired the next two batters.
Luke Drumheller's 12th double of the season and second double in the first three innings Wednesday brought home Young with App State's first run.
A walk on a 3-2 pitch to
Kendall McGowan prompted a pitching change, and
Dalton Williams' walk on a 3-2 pitch loaded the bases for
Joel McDaniel, who delivered a two-run single to left for a 3-2 lead.
Hayden Cross' infield single loaded the bases again, triggering another pitching change, and
Bailey Welch lined a two-run single to center.
Welch stole second and moved to third as Cross raced home on passed ball. Young's second single of the inning pushed the Mountaineers ahead 7-2.
Bowman and Cornatzer held UNC Asheville without a run before App State capped the scoring in the top of the seventh inning, when McGowan hit a one-out triple and went home on Williams' sacrifice fly to center.
Williams (2-for-3), Young (2-for-3), Cross (2-for-4), McDaniel (2-for-4) and Drumheller (2-for-5) accounted for 10 of the team's 13 hits. McGowan reached base three times thanks to two walks, scored a team-leading two runs and made a sliding catch in left field.
App State Baseball would like to thank AutoStar Nissan of Boone for serving as the presenting sponsor of the 2019 season. The Mountaineers return to action Friday with the start of a three-game home series against Sun Belt opponent ULM.
Tickets for those games in Boone can be purchased online by
clicking HERE.
