LITTLE ROCK, ARK. – Despite falling behind 4-0 in the first inning, the Mountaineers rallied, scoring the next 10 runs in the contest, and defeated Little Rock, 10-5, to earn the series win.
The win was also the 100
th victory for
Kermit Smith in his sixth season as head coach of the Mountaineers.
App State (9-13, 3-3) began its comeback effort with a two-out rally in the fourth.
Hayden Cross walked and
Phillip Cole singled, setting up
Luke Drumheller, who singled to center, to make it a 4-1 ballgame.
App State then tied the score in the fifth.
RJ Johnson doubled down the left field line with one out, and two batters later,
Dylan Rogers doubled down the right field line to score him. After a walk to
Andrew Greckel, Cross followed with a double of his own to score Rogers. Cole then drew a walk, and on the final pitch of the plate appearance, Greckel sprinted home to score on a wild pitch. App State finished the ballgame with six doubles, including three in the fifth inning.
After giving up four runs in the first inning,
Trey Tujetsch settled in nicely. The Mountaineer right-hander did not give up a run thereafter, and went on to work six innings, striking out four, and walking just one, to earn the win.
In the seventh, App State grabbed their first lead of the ballgame. Greckel singled, and Cross followed with a walk to begin the inning. Then with two outs, following a Trojan pitching change,
Austin St. Laurent doubled to the gap in left-center to score a pair, and put App State ahead, 6-4.
Cameron Carter relieved Tujetsch in the seventh and promptly struck out the side. Carter went on to work 2.2 innings, allowing just three baserunners.
The Mountaineers' offense poured it on in the eighth. Johnson walked to lead off the inning, and made it to third base after a pair of wild pitches. With two outs in the inning, following an intentional walk to Rogers, Cross made the Trojans pay with an RBI single to score Johnson. Cole then delivered a double down the left field line to score two, and Drumheller capped the frame with an RBI single to center to make it 10-4.
Little Rock (11-10, 1-5) scored an unearned run in the ninth inning, but
Eli Ellington came on to strike out the only batter he faced, to seal the win for the Mountaineers.
App State returns to action Tuesday, when they take on UNC Asheville at L.P. Frans Stadium in Hickory, N.C.
Tickets are still available, with first pitch set for 6 p.m. The 2022 App State Baseball season is presented by Chick-fil-A.
