BOONE, N.C. - App State baseball is set to face UNCG this weekend starting on Friday to cap off its seven-game road stretch.
App State enters the weekend 2-2 after an 8-5 loss to No. 23 Duke on Tuesday. UNCG enters Friday 1-3 overall following a 23-3 loss to fellow ACC opponent in Wake Forest.
The Spartans went 1-2 against South Carolina to start the season, while the Mountaineers began the 2022 campaign with a series win at Campbell.
Only Friday's and Saturday's games this weekend against UNCG will be aired on ESPN+. Friday's first pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m., Saturday's official start time is 2 p.m. and Sunday's game will begin at 1 p.m.
Friday will be the 68th all-time meeting between the former SoCon rivals. The Spartans lead the all-time series 39-28 that dates back to 1991. App State won the last series meeting back in 2020, taking two from UNCG in Greensboro.
The last game between the two squads witnessed an extra-inning affair, 15 innings with the Spartans coming out on top 8-7.
THE MOUNTAINEER ROTATION:
Tyler Tuthill, Xander Hamilton continue to be in the projected starting rotation for App State on Friday and Saturday.
As a pitching staff, the Black and Gold currently hold the Sun Belt's second-best opposing batting average of .207. Little Rock leads the conference at .206. App State has also recorded double digit strikeouts on the mound in half of its games this season.
Tuthill tossed 4.1 innings in his Opening Day start at Campbell, surrendering only two earned runs on just three hits allowed.
Hamilton was named the Sun Belt Pitcher of the Week Tuesday for his dominant Mountaineer debut against Campbell.
The Virginia Tech transfer earned his debut nod from coach Smith in game two against Campbell, holding a top-30 team in some collegiate polls (Collegiate Baseball and Perfect Game USA) to a single hit and no runs allowed through 6.1 innings of work to even the series at 1-1.
Hamilton finished his outing with 10 strikeouts, tying the second most by an App State pitcher since 2013, in the win and held a no-hitter through five complete before surrendering his lone hit to none other than the No. 3 shortstop in the country in Zach Neto, according to D1Baseball. He currently ranks tied for third in the conference in total strikeouts.
TWO SPARTANS TO WATCH:
In 2021, UNCG finished 27-25 overall and 12-17 in the SoCon. For 2022, 20 Spartans returned to the roster from last season to accompany 10 freshmen and six transfers.
Hogan Windish (IF) and Austin Parsley (RHP) were named to the Preseason All-Southern Conference Second Team.
Windish started all 52 games last season. The Jefferson, North Carolina, native finished the season with a .280 batting average, 52 hits, 12 doubles, and 10 home runs. His 42 runs scored were second on the team, and Windish was tied for third in the SoCon in triples at three.
Windish was one of four Spartans to have 50 hits last season. To begin the 2022 campaign, Windish was named the first Southern Conference Player of the Week of the season on Monday for his hitting performances against South Carolina.
In the opening series against the Gamecocks, Windish hit .571 with two doubles, seven RBIs, and one home run. He went 3-for-5 with four RBIs, a double and a home run in game one before going 3-for-4 with a two-run double on Saturday to help UNCG earn a 5-4 win over South Carolina. Windish ended the weekend 2-for-5 with one RBI in UNCG's 8-7 Sunday loss to South Carolina in 10 innings.
Parsley finished last season with an 8-2 record on the bump and was third on the team in earned run average at 3.30. The Charlotte, North Carolina, native made 20 appearances and had two starts last season. He led the team with 62 strikeouts, 29 looking. His eight wins in 2021 were third in the SoCon.
In game two against South Carolina, Parsley tossed 7.0 innings, surrendering zero runs on only three hits allowed and struck out four.
The 2022 App State baseball season is presented by Chick-fil-A
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