MOBILE, ALA. – In what was a back-and-forth game early, South Alabama delivered the final blow, scoring four runs in the fifth inning to claim the series with a 6-2 victory Saturday night.
App State (10-18, 3-8) did bring the tying run to the plate in the ninth inning. Down by four,
Phillip Cole was hit by a pitch to begin the inning, and
Hayden Cross followed by drawing a walk. With one away,
Andrew Terrell singled to right, but a strike out and fly out followed, and the Mountaineers were unable to complete the comeback.
South Alabama (19-10, 6-5) got on the board first in the second inning on a Santi Montiel solo home run against Mountaineer starter
Xander Hamilton.
App State quickly drew even. In the top of the third inning Terrell led off with a walk, and
Alex Aguila drove a triple to the gap in right-center to score him. Aguila also made two outstanding defensive plays in the ballgame at shortstop.
After the Jags responded with a run in the bottom half of the frame, App State again tied the score in the fourth. Cole began the inning by beating out a bunt single. He then advanced to second on a Cross walk and to third on a flyout, setting up Terrell for a sac fly to knot the score at 2-2.
South Alabama delivered the final blow with a four-run fifth inning, which chased Hamilton from the ballgame.
The Mountaineers bullpen finished the game strong as
Cameron Kepley fanned two of his three batters in a scoreless sixth inning, while
Trey Jernigan worked the final two frames without allowing a hit, and picking up a strikeout.
The Mountaineers will look to salvage the finale on Sunday, when they face off with the Jaguars at 2 P.M. ET. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+. The 2022 App State Baseball season is presented by Chick-fil-A.
