2014: Coming off both a severe head injury and major hip surgery in 2013, struggled to a .169 batting average in 43 games as a sophomore … started the season with an 0-for-33 stretch that he finally snapped with an eighth-inning single against Campbell (March 5), Appalachian State’s 12th game of the campaign … posted back-to-back two-RBI games against UNC Asheville (March 8-9) … notched his first multi-hit game of the year with a 2-for-3 effort against Kent State (March 15) … hit safely in all three games of Georgia Southern series (March 21-23) … went 2-for-5 with a double and a season-high three RBI in series finale against UNCG (March 29) … put together his finest series of the season at Samford (May 9-10), going 7-for-13 with three multi-hit games and four total RBI … had a season-high three hits in second game of three-game set at Samford.

2013: Was enjoying a monster start at the plate before his season came to an end after just 13 games due to a severe head injury sustained when he collided with catcher Josh Zumbrook while both were pursuing a foul ball on March 12 at Georgia ... before his campaign was cut short, he was hitting a team-best .370 (20-for-54) with seven doubles, a triple, two home runs, five walks and 13 RBI through just 13 games ... thanks to 10 of his 20 hits being for extra bases, compiled a gaudy .648 slugging percentage ... after going hitless in the season opener at NC State (Feb. 15), hit safely in each of the next 12 games ... the 12-game hitting streak wound up being Appalachian State’s third-longest of the season ... was especially hot during a six-game span from Feb. 18-March 1, when he hit .480 (12-for-25) with six doubles, two home runs, 13 RBI and eight runs scored ... had at least one extra-base hit, one RBI and one run scored in every game of the sizzling six-game run ... hit a three-run homer in Appalachian’s series-opening win over Butler (Feb. 23) ... went 3-for-4 with two doubles, a homer, three RBI and three runs scored in series finale vs. Butler (Feb. 24) ... went 2-for-4 with a double, triple and career-best four RBI vs. High Point (Feb. 27) ... went 6-for-13 in three games at Davidson (March 1-3) ... went 1-for-3 and scored a run before sustaining the season-ending injury at Georgia (March 12) ... committed just one error in 131 chances at first base with the lone miscue coming in the season opener at NC State ... applied for and received a medical redshirt from the NCAA following the injury and retained the year of eligibility.

2012: Appeared in 14 games with two early-season starts in right field (Feb. 18 vs. Akron and March 3 vs. Rider) ... had only five hits in 19 at-bats on the season but three of the five hits went for extra bases (two doubles and a home run) ... drove in six runs in his 19 at-bats ... notched a double, two walks, two runs scored and three RBI in win over Rider (March 3) ... had a pinch-hit double and scored a run in win over Davidson (March 10) ... hit a pinch-hit home run in win over North Carolina A&T (March 27) ... drove in a run with a sacrifice fly against Furman (April 21) ... had perhaps Appalachian State’s biggest hit of the year with a pinch-hit RBI single that sparked the Mountaineers’ five-run rally in the top of the ninth inning in their 5-4 Southern Conference championship-clinching win at Western Carolina (May 18).

High School: Hit .400 as a senior and .318 as a junior for one of North Carolina’s top prep programs … earned all-conference recognition as a senior in the Southwest 4-A Conference, one of the state’s top prep leagues … helped lead squad to N.C. 4-A state championship as a sophomore, state championship series as a junior and sectional finals as a senior … served as team captain as a senior … ranked among North Carolina’s top 30 players and nation’s top 500 players by PG Crosschecker ... listed as one of North Carolina’s top 50 players by ImpactScout.com … coached by Appalachian State alum Hal Bagwell, who also coached recent Mountaineer standouts Matt Andress and David Rubinstein at South Mecklenburg and current Appalachian teammate Zach Hummel at Ardrey Kell … also played for South Charlotte Panthers (coach Don Hutchins), the same program as current Appalachian players Noah Holmes, Bradley Morton, Jamie Nunn, Ryan Ross, Jeffrey Springs and Drake Zupcic as well as former Mountaineer standouts Ryan Arrowood, Tyler Tewell and Tyler Zupcic.

Personal: Full name is Alexander William Leach … born Dec. 5, 1992 (22 years old) … son of Maureen and Willard Leach … majoring in communication studies.