BOONE, N.C. – App State Baseball scored multiple runs in each of the first four innings, capped by an eighth-run fourth, en route to a 17-7 victory over UNC Asheville in eight innings on Tuesday at Smith Stadium.
Even an hour-long rain delay, which interrupted a four-run second inning, couldn't slow down the App State offense, as the Mountaineers (14-13, 3-6) tallied seven doubles (including each their first six hits) and drew nine walks, while striking out just twice in the contest. The Mountaineers tallied season-highs in both hits and runs.
After UNC Asheville (14-15, 2-4) grabbed the lead with a six-run second inning – highlighted by a grand slam from Blaize Johnson – App State immediately responded in the home half of the frame.
Jake Mummau doubled with one out, and back-to-back walks to
Joseph Zamora and
Charlie Evans loaded the bases.
Riley Luft came through with a two-run double to slice the lead in half, and a bases loaded walk to
Kameron Miller brought the Mountaineers within one, before play was paused. Following the delay, App State tied the score on a passed ball.
The Mountaineers grabbed the lead back in the third.
Tommy Walker led off the inning with a double down the left field line and Mummau followed with a double to straight away center to put App State ahead 7-6. Mummau scored on a wild pitch later in the frame.
App State blew the game open in the fourth, sending 13 men to the plate and scoring eight times. App State drew four walks in the inning, tallied five hits and was the beneficiary of an error. Six consecutive batters reached base during the inning, punctuated by a two-run double from
Ethan Puig, who finished the game with three hits.
Mummau led the way with a 4-for-4 effort at the plate; one of six Mountaineers with multi-hit efforts. Luft led the way with three RBIs.
Jonathan Xuereb opened the scoring with a two-run double in the first inning and delivered the final blow in the eighth. After Puig singled to lead off the inning with a single to center, Xuereb followed with a line drive up the middle which snuck under the Asheville center fielder's glove and rolled to the wall, allowing Puig to come all the way around from first base for the winning run.
The App State bullpen did not allow a run across the final 4.1 innings, starting with 1.1 scoreless and a pair of strikeouts from
Everette Harris who earned his first victory of the season.
Max Tramontana tossed a scoreless sixth inning and
Cal Clark recorded four outs before turning the ball over to
Mason Middleton to record the final two outs of the eighth.
App State will return to Sun Belt play with a three-game series against Marshall Thursday through Saturday. The Herd have dropped six straight following a loss to Ohio on Tuesday. First pitch Thursday and Friday is set for 6 p.m. with the finale on Saturday slated for 1 p.m. All three games will be broadcast on ESPN+.
The 2026 App State Baseball season is presented by Chick-fil-A.
