Once again, the bats got hot early for App State. Leadoff hitter, Matt Alexander, started the game off with a bang, driving a solo shot over the left field fence to get App State out in front from the start. From there, they never looked back. 2 more runs were added by singles from Brandon Jones and Noah Dancy.
UNC Charlotte responded with a solo home run from Avery Sisk in the second inning to make the score 3-1. The game remained close until the top of the fifth inning, when the Mountaineers broke it open with 5 runs of their own. Several batters drew walks for App State, and a Jacob Bishop Sac-fly pushed across another run making it 4-1.
With the bases loaded from walks, 1B, Brandon Jones stepped up to the plate. With a 2-1 count, Jones smashed a fastball over the wall in left field for a grand slam! This boosted the Mountaineer lead to 8-2 after 5 innings.
Starting pitcher Todd Rule had his best stuff on display for this Sunday afternoon contest with UNC Charlotte. He was dominant, with 5 IP, he allowed only 5 hits, 2 ER, while striking out 7 in his Fall 2019 debut.
App State added 5 more runs in the top of the 6th, with a 2-run homer from Catcher, Noah Dancy, and a 3-run bomb from MIF JP Roque, that blew the game open to make the score 13-2 after 6 innings played.
App State made substitutions at all 9 positions heading into the bottom of the 6th, with Reliever Jaxon Mays coming out of the pen. He held his own on the mound, going 2 innings, giving up 5 hits, 2 ER and striking out 3 batters in his Fall debut as well.
The App State offense never took their foot off the gas, as they put up 7 runs combined in the 7th and 8th innings. They were able to do this off some great base running by Nick Kilduff and Jordan Howlett, a long double in the gap for DH Tyler Nigro, and a 3 hits from Zach Covington which included a home run and 3 RBI.
Junior reliever Jordan Hrabar, came in to finish out the game in the 8th inning. He went 2 innings, allowing 2 hits, 2 ER, and striking out 4 in his first appearance of the Fall.
UNC Charlotte pushed across 2 runs in both the 7th and 8th inning, but it was too little too late, as the Mountaineers went on to win the game 20-6, and win the series 2-1!
App State looks to keep the momentum going, as they are on the road again at Virginia Tech on October 26-27 to face the Hokies in a 3-game series!
Important to Note:
The Mountaineers tallied 5 home runs in the game. Brandon Jones , Matt Alexander, JP Roque, Zach Covington, and Noah Dancy each had one in the contest. Six different Mountaineers had multi-hit games, which included Covington, Dancy, Edmiston, Nigro, Jones, and Roque. Dancy and Covington had 3 a piece.
Appalachian State Club Baseball 