JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. –
Nico Soul blasted a game-tying home run in the fifth inning and
Drew DuPont uncorked a go-ahead shot in the sixth to lift App State Baseball to an 8-5 road victory over ETSU on Wednesday.
App State (7-1) has now hit nine home runs through eight games this season, while six pitchers combined to put up seven zeros in nine innings on the mound. The Mountaineers record a key non-conference win against an ETSU team that is coming off an NCAA regional appearance last season.
The back end of the bullpen was especially impressive for the Mountaineers in the win.
Max Tramontana recorded his fourth consecutive scoreless outing to open the season, tossing 1.1 scoreless innings and collecting two strikeouts to earn his first win of the year.
Cal Clark did not allow a run or a hit, covering the sixth and seventh innings, and
Nick DiRito struck out three to earn his second save of the season, pitching the final two innings of the contest.
After hitting the go-ahead home run in the sixth, DuPont provided the Mountaineers with a key insurance run, hitting an RBI double in the eighth to score
Jonathan Xuereb. Soul also tacked on a run with a sac fly in the ninth.
Riley Luft joined the duo with a multi-RBI effort, opening the scoring with a two-run home run in the second inning.
Jake Beaty made his first start of the season and struck out three across two scoreless innings of work.
The Mountaineers out-hit the Bucs 12-5 and four Mountaineers enjoyed multi-hit efforts.
App State will head to Boiling Springs, N.C. this weekend to face Gardner-Webb in a three-game set.
The 2026 App State Baseball season is presented by Chick-fil-A.
