WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The Mountaineers got the tying run to second base in the top half of the ninth inning, but dropped game one of the home-and-home series to Wake Forest, 6-5, Tuesday at David F. Couch Ballpark.
Trailing 5-4 in the sixth,
Alex Aguila jump started the Mountaineers rally by reaching on an error.
RJ Johnson then followed with a popup out in front of home plate that fell in for a hustle-double to put two in scoring position. That set up
Andrew Terrrell, who singled to center field, knotting the score at 5-5.
The Demon Deacons responded, loading the bases in the seventh and scoring the go-ahead run on a bases loaded walk, to take a 6-5 advantage.
App State took an early 2-0 lead in the top half of the first by way of two RBIs from
Philip Cole and
Dylan Rogers, but Wake Forest responded with three runs in the bottom half of the frame to take the lead 3-2.
In the top half of the second, the Mountaineers regained the lead when
Luke Drumheller drove in two runs on an RBI single to right-center, scoring Terrell and Aguila. The Demon Deacons responded again in the bottom half of the frame with a two-run home run from Brock Wilken to take the lead, 5-4.
Cameron Carter was impressive for the Mountaineers in relief, holding the Demon Deacons off the scoreboard in the middle innings. Carter entered the game in the fifth and threw two scoreless innings, allowing two hits, and striking out three.
Jason Cornatzer started for App State and threw four innings, allowing four hits, two earned runs, and striking out four batters.
Cameron Kepley relieved Carter in the seventh and threw two innings, allowing one earned run, one hit and striking out one batter in the loss.
The Mountaineers will hit the road for a conference series this weekend, when they head to Monroe, La. for a three-game series with the Warhawks. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. on Friday, with Saturday's contest slated for 3 p.m. The series will conclude Sunday with the finale set to get underway at 2 p.m.
The 2022 App State Baseball season is presented by Chick-fil-A.
