BOONE, N.C. – With the score tied in the bottom of the 10th inning,
CJ Boyd clocked an opposite-field, two-run missile into the visitor's bullpen to give App State a 9-7 victory Sunday and a series win over James Madison at Smith Stadium.
The walk-off victory was the fifth for the Mountaineers (21-19, 11-9) this season, and it marked the second extra-inning win of the year. App State has now won five Sun Belt series, its most since joining the conference. App State's 21 overall victories on the season eclipse last year's win total with 10 regular season games remaining.
JMU (24-19, 9-10) took its lone lead of the ballgame in the top of the eighth inning on a two-run single from Mason Dunaway to make it 7-6.
App State answered immediately in the bottom of the frame.
Alex Reed started the rally with a double to right field, and after
Grey LaSpaluto ran for him,
Andrew Terrell looped a game-tying RBI single down the line in right field to knot the score at 7-7.
Terrell, who finished the series with nine hits, also made a defensive gem in the ninth inning and doubled with two outs in the 10th inning to set up Boyd for the game-winner.
App State jumped out to an early lead, scoring four times in the first inning.
Xavier Moronta walked with one out, and
Luke Drumheller followed with an RBI double to the right-center gap to take a 1-0 lead. After
Hayden Cross worked a walk,
Golston Gillespie belted an opposite-field, three-run home run, his 12th of the year, to make it 4-0.
Caleb Cross tossed a career-high six innings in his fifth start of the year. He allowed four runs on eight hits, while striking out two, and finished his outing by retiring nine of the final 11 batters that he faced.
Collin Welch (win, 2-0) delivered the final two frames of the ballgame, striking out two without allowing a run. Welch gave up a leadoff single but stranded the go-ahead runner on third base in the ninth, picking up a big strikeout. Then, after allowing a leadoff double in the 10th, he escaped a bases-loaded jam to get the Mountaineers to the plate.
The Mountaineers continue their homestand on Tuesday when they welcome ETSU to Smith Stadium for the finale of the home-and-home series with the Bucs. First pitch is set for 6 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
