BOONE, N.C. –
Austin St. Laurent doubled, homered, and drove in three for App State, but a three-run ninth inning from Texas State broke a 4-4 tie, and the 20
th ranked Bobcats came away with a 7-4 win, Friday at Smith Stadium.
App State (10-14, 3-4) jumped out to an early lead in the first inning. With one out,
Dylan Rogers doubled to right, and St. Laurent followed with a two-run home run, his second of the season, to give the Mountaineers a 2-0 lead.
After Peyton Lewis homered to put Texas State (21-6, 6-1) on the board in the third inning, App State got the run right back in the home half of the frame.
Andrew Terrell doubled with one away, and two batters later, St. Laurent drove a ball to the left-center gap to make it 3-1.
The home run ball continued to be a difference maker for the Bobcats. Daylan Pena hit a game-tying two-run shot in the fourth inning, and after the Bobcats took the lead in the ninth, Ben McClain launched a two-run shot to push the advantage to three.
The two teams exchanged runs in the sixth inning. John Wuthrich doubled and scored for the Bobcats to take a 4-3 lead in the top half of the frame. The Mountaineers drew even in the home half. Rogers led off with a triple, and scored on a wild pitch one batter later.
On the mound,
Tyler Tuthill struck out six, in six innings of work, giving up just three earned runs, and walking only one.
Camron Carter struck out four in 2.1 innings in relief.
Caleb Cross came on retire the final two batters of the ninth, including a strikeout to end the frame.
Game two of the series is set for Saturday at 3 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+. The 2022 App State Baseball season is presented by Chick-fil-A.
