HICKORY, N.C. – With the score tied in the bottom of the ninth inning,
Joseph Zamora beat out an infield single to third base to score pinch runner
Bret Clements and lift App State Baseball to a 9-8 victory over Southern Illinois on Sunday.
App State improves to 6-1 on the season, their best start since winning their first seven games in 2023.
After trailing 2-0 early, App State jumped ahead after a pair of dominant middle innings. In the bottom of the fifth,
Ethan Puig and
Steven Smith opened the frame with back-to-back singles. After a Salukis' pitching change,
Drew DuPontsnuck a single in between first and second to tie the score.
Charlie Evans then gave the Mountaineers the lead with an RBI groundout, and
Tommy Walker reached on an error to extend the inning and increase the lead to 4-2.
Jonathan Xuereb followed with an RBI single down the right field line to push the lead to 5-2.
The Mountaineers added three more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, highlighted by a two-run single from Evans to push the lead to 8-2
Southern Illinois jumpstarted its comeback with a four-run eighth inning, highlighted by a three-run home run from Cecil Lofton in the seventh.
The Salukis added a run in the eighth and tied the score with two outs in the ninth, beating out an infield single.
With one out in the home ninth, Walker worked a free pass. He was lifted for Clements who went first to third on an errant throw on an attempted double-play turn. With two outs in the inning, Zamora looped a ball down the third base line and by the time it was fielded, the Salukis had no chance to get the Mountaineer second baseman sprinting down the line.
Max Tramontana led the way on the mound for App State. He entered with the bases loaded and a run home in the top of the first inning and was able to limit the damage to just one inherited run. Tramontana stayed on and worked 3.2 scoreless innings, allowing just a hit and a walk and struck out three. Tramontana has not allowed a run this season, totaling 6.2 scoreless innings across his first three appearances.
Reyn Watson took over in the fifth inning and struck out two in 1.2 scoreless innings of work.
Ethan Wilson came out of the bullpen and picked up a big strikeout to strand a pair of runners in scoring position in the top of the sixth.
Steven Smith earned his first victory of the season after recording all three outs in the ninth.
The Mountaineers are back in action on Tuesday when the team visits ETSU. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.
The 2026 App State Baseball season is presented by Chick-fil-A.
