GREENSBORO, N.C. – Despite never leading in the first seven innings, and letting a late lead slip away in the eighth, App State Baseball, plated four runs in the top of the tenth inning to defeat North Carolina A&T, 11-7, and move to 7-0 on the season.
With the score tied at 7-7 in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Aggies had the bases loaded with two outs. App State summoned redshirt freshman
Zach Lewis from the bullpen. The lefty went to a full count against Luis Espinal before producing a swing-and-a-miss for strike three to escape the jam and send the Mountaineers to extra innings.
Alex Reed led off the tenth inning by reaching on an error and then was pinch run for by
Vasili Kaloudis.
Dylan Rogers then reached on an infield single, and
Hunter Wilder followed with a single through the right side to load the bases. Freshman
Jonathan Xuereb then singled through the left side to score two and put the Mountaineers in front. Two batters later
Xavier Moronta added some insurance, belting a two-run double to center field to put App State ahead, 11-7.
Lewis (win, 1-0), stayed on for the bottom of the tenth inning, picking up another strikeout in a scoreless frame to seal the win.
App State trailed 6-4 going to the eighth inning, when Rogers vaulted the Mountaineers in front with a three-run home run, his first of the season, scoring
Hayden Cross and
Luke Drumheller who reached on a double and an error respectively.
The Aggies answered with a run in the bottom half of the inning to tie the score at 7-7.
After trailing 3-0 early, the Mountaineers first drew even with a three-run fourth inning. With one out,
Austin St. Laurent singled up the middle, and Cross followed by lacing a triple down the right field line to drive him in. One batter later, Drumheller singled through the middle to score Cross, and two batters later Rogers smacked an RBI double to center field to tie the score at 3-3.
Rogers finished the ballgame going 3-for-5 with four RBIs and two runs scored. St. Laurent, Drumheller, Wilder, and Xuereb each added two-hit games. As a team App State went 11-for-25 (.440) with runners on base in the ballgame.
On the mound
Collin Welch allowed the Mountaineers to get back into the ballgame with four strong innings in relief. He allowed two runs (one earned) on two hits and struck out three.
App State will be back in action Tuesday when they travel to ETSU, with first pitch set for 3 p.m. in Johnson City, Tenn. The Bucs are 3-4 on the season, but defeated Georgia Southern, 10-2, Sunday in Statesboro.
