GREENSBORO, N.C. – Appalachian State hit a three-run home run just over the right field wall in the top of the first inning as UNCG fell to the Mountaineers, 4-2, on Saturday afternoon at the UNCG Baseball Stadium. The loss snapped UNCG's six-game winning streak.
Nathan Hyatt picked up his second win of the season for the Mountaineers (9-10, 1-7 Southern Conference) after going five innings and allowing only one run on four hits, while striking out six batters. Taylor Miller came in to pitch the final 2 1/3 innings to pick up his third save of the season.
UNCG starter Brandon Browne was credited with the loss after giving up three runs on just three hits in four innings of work.
John Hein came off the bench to go 2-2 at the plate for the Spartans (12-6, 4-1 SoCon), while Trevor Edwards and Thomas Troelstrup each had an RBI.
Daniel Kassouf led the Mountaineers on Saturday as he went 2-3 with three RBI and two runs scored. Jack Myers also added a pair of hits for the visitors.
The story of the day seemed to be that the Spartans weren't able to take advantage of several opportunities to score runs. They left the bases loaded in the fifth, seventh and ninth inning and left a total of 16 runners on base for the game.
Appalachian State set the tone in the first inning as Tyler Zupcic led off the game with a 12-pitch walk before moving to second on a sacrifice bunt. Myers then singled to right field to put runners on the corners.
Kassouf followed with a home run that just barely cleared the right field wall and beyond the leaping effort of Drew Gehringer to give the Mountaineers the early 3-0 lead.
UNCG was finally able to get on the board in the bottom of the fifth inning. Cambric Moye led off with a single to center and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Gehringer. After a UNCG strikeout, Bobby Martin and Eric Brindle drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. Edwards was then hit by a pitch to score Moye and make the score 3-1.
The Mountaineers were able to get that run right back in the top of the sixth when Kassouf led off with a single and later scored on a wild pitch to make it 4-1.
Down to its final three outs, UNCG started a rally in the bottom of the ninth. Brindle hit a leadoff single to right field and stole second before moving to third on a wild pitch. After a strikeout, Troelstrup was able to reach on an error by the shortstop, which allowed Brindle to score and make it 4-2.
Hein was then hit by a pitch before a UNCG fly out made it two outs in the inning. Andrew Spleth followed with a single up the middle to load the bases, but Miller was able to get one final strikeout for the Mountaineers to end the threat and the game.
The Spartans and Mountaineers will square off in the rubber game on Sunday at 1 p.m.
AGATE
Appalachian State 4, UNCG 2
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Appalachian State... 300 001 000 - 4 8 3 (9-10, 1-7)
UNCG................ 000 010 001 - 2 7 0 (12-6, 4-1)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Appalachian State - Nathan Hyatt; David Port(6); Chad Farmer(7); Will Helms(7); Taylor Miller(7) and Jeremy Dowdy. UNCG - Brandon Browne; Pete Schultz(5); Zach Furl(6); Greg Smith(7) and Cambric Moye; Trevor Edwards.
Win-Nathan Hyatt(2-3) Save-Taylor Miller(3) Loss-Brandon Browne(0-2) T-2:56 A-657
HR ASU - Daniel Kassouf.
Weather: 67 and sunny
Schultz faced 2 batters in the 6th.
Hyatt faced 2 batters in the 6th.
Helms faced 1 batter in the 7th.
- UNCG -
