BOONE, N.C. – Conner Leonard's 4-for-5 outing and Dallas DeVrieze struck out four to help Appalachian State University baseball take down Arkansas State in Game One, 7-6, on Friday night at Smith Stadium.
The Mountaineers (18-24, 7-12 Sun Belt) improved to 6-2 in their last eight games while handing the Red Wolves (20-21, 8-11 Sun Belt) their fourth-straight loss.
In a wild first inning that cumulatively took 46 minutes to complete, A-State drew first blood, placing two unearned runs up on the board off two errors by the Mountaineers. Unpersuaded from the task at hand, however, App State started its time at the plate with Matt Vernon getting one of his two doubles on the day, this time down the left field line, and a Tyler Stroup single up the middle to bring in the first run.
Vernon's two doubles on Friday give him five extra-base hits in the past eight games.
Stroup then moved to second on an error by the Red Wolves before Leonard got his first hit of the night, a shot to right field, followed up by Brian Bauk getting his first RBI on the night with a shot up the middle. Chandler Seagle then joined the party with a single to left field that brought in Leonard before a Jared McCarver single to center field brought home Bauk to end the inning.
Appalachian then extended its lead in the second inning, as Jason Curtis knocked a bullet to center field before Avery Jackson walked and Leonard once again singled to right field. Bauk then got a four-pitch, bases-loaded walk that brought in Curtis.
Bauk's two RBI on Friday give him a team-high eight games with multiple-RBI for the season.
A Calev Grubbs single and wild pitch advancement to second gave Vernon the opportunity to double down the left field line again, bringing Grubbs home in the fifth to give App a 6-4 lead. The final run on the night for Appalachian was scored one inning later when back-to-back singles by Jackson and Leonard led off the sixth before Jackson was brought home despite a 4-6-3 double play.
The Red Wolves would continue to keep things interested, scoring one run in the seventh and eighth innings, but the Mountaineers pitching staff kept A-State at bay as they hung on for the win.
Travis Holden got the usual Friday night, going 3.2 innings and allowing just three hits, two earned runs and striking out four batters on the night. DeVrieze provided the bulk of the relief out of the bullpen, going 2.2 innings and allowing just two hits along with his four strikeouts.
Reed Howell went 1.2 innings, getting two punchouts and allowing two runs before Matt Brill closed the final inning of the game to get his fourth save of the season, striking out two batters in the ninth.
The Mountaineers will look to take the series in Game Two on Saturday, April 29 as their three-game series with Arkansas State continues. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. at Smith Stadium.
