KANNAPOLIS, N.C. – App State got up early and blew the ballgame open late, plating six runs in the eighth inning and three more in the ninth to pull away for a 14-5 victory over Queens at Atrium Health Ballpark on Tuesday.
Leading 5-2 after seven innings despite just four hits, App State (11-4) ignited the offense in the eighth.
Drew Holderbach was hit by a pitch to begin the inning, and
Adam Quintero followed by working a walk.
Dillon Moquin then beat out a nubber up the third base line to load the bases.
Joseph Zamora delivered an RBI single to center, and two batters later,
Austin St. Laurent singled up the middle to plate two more and make it 8-2.
Xavier Moronta followed with a double down the line in right to plate two more, and after
Banks Tolley was hit by a pitch,
Braxton Church continued the onslaught with a single up the middle to make it 11-2.
The Mountaineers continued to pile on in the ninth. After the first three batters in the inning walked to load the bases, St. Laurent plated a run with a sac fly and Zamora scored on a passed ball.
Graham Smiley then smacked a pinch-hit double to cap the scoring for the Mountaineers.
In his first start since May 2022,
Tyler Tuthill (win, 1-0) was strong, tossing three scoreless innings, allowing just two hits, and striking out a pair.
The Mountaineers jumped on the scoreboard with a three-run third, highlighted by a two-run single from St. Laurent, who finished with a game-high five RBIs. Moquin also tallied a multi-hit game and he and Zamora each scored three runs in the ballgame.
Six App State pitchers combined to walk just four batters in the ballgame, combining to throw 63 percent of their pitches for strikes on the night.
App State will wrap up their 11-game road trip by opening Sun Belt play at Texas State with a three-game series in San Marcos, Texas. First pitch on Friday is set for 7 p.m. ET with the middle game on Saturday scheduled for 3:30 p.m. The series wraps up on Sunday, with first pitch set for 2 p.m. in the finale. All three games will be broadcast on ESPN+.
The 2024 App State Baseball season is presented by Chick-fil-A.
