TROY, Ala. — App State opened a Sun Belt Conference series at Troy with a 2-0 loss to the Trojans on Friday night.
At 6-4 in the league, the Mountaineers (15-18 overall) are scheduled to face the Trojans (17-19, 5-8) in Game 2 at 4 p.m. ET. Weather permitting, the game will be available on ESPN+.
Eli Ellington needed only 23 pitches to retire the six batters he faced after relieving starter
Tyler Tuthill, who struck out five batters and allowed five hits in six strong innings. Troy scored on a second-inning sacrifice fly, and an RBI single followed a leadoff double in the sixth, but Tuthill stranded the bases loaded as
Alex Leshock made a diving catch in left-center.
Offensively,
Dalton Williams went 2-for-4 as App State finished with four hits combined against Troy pitchers Garrett Gainous (7.1 innings) and Marquez Oates.
Back-to-back walks for
Carson Arnold and
Bailey Welch triggered a pitching change with one out in the eighth, and Oates hit Drumheller with a two-out pitch to load the bases. A swinging strikeout ended that threat.
Williams singled with one out in the ninth, and Lesock drew a two-out walk, but a called strike on a 2-2 pitch directed toward the outside corner ended the game.
Welch is batting .519 in league play after a 1-for-2 night, and
Kendall McGowan accounted for App State's other hit. Leadoff hitter
Peyton Idol had reached base in each of his 16 starts in a row prior to Friday.
