App State Evens Series with Cajuns, 12-4
Appalachian State scored four runs after two were out in the second inning and put the game away in the final three innings in taking a 12-4 win over the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns before 5,005 at M. L. "Tigue" Moore Field at Russo Park.
Colin Schmid (3-2) threw seven strong innings for the Mountaineers (9-10, 1-1 Sun Belt), allowing just two earned runs on six hits. He walked three, struck out four and had 13 ground ball outs.
"He had a good changeup and kept us off balance," head coach Tony Robichaux said. "When you face a good arm you have to match him and Nick just didn't have it today."
Nick Lee (4-1) suffered his first loss of the season. He allowed four hits and five earned runs over 4.1 innings with three walks and two strikeouts.
The Cajuns (10-6,1-1) got on the board first when Ishmael Edwards tripled to the left-center gap to lead off the first and scored on Brenn Conrad's ground ball. But Avery Jackson led off the second inning with a single and moved up when Chandler Seagle was hit by a pitch. A sacrifice moved the runners up but Joe Robbins threw Jackson out at the plate on Matt Brill's ground ball. Appalachian State then got two clutch hits as Drake Zupcic and Galev Grubbs each drove in a pair of runs to give App State a 4-1 lead.
Handsome Monica's RBI single got the Cajuns a run closer in the bottom of the inning, but Matt Vernon got the run right back for the Mountaineers with a long home run to left to make the score 5-2. The Cajuns drew within 5-3 on an unearned run in the fourth, but Tyler Stroup homered off reliever Jevin Huval in the top of the seventh. Brenn Conrad's RBI single in the bottom of the inning made the score 7-4.
App State then put the game away against relievers Caleb Armstrong and Colton Lee with a three run homer by Connor Leonard the deciding blow for the final score.
Vernon led App State's eleven hit attack with three hits, while Zupcic added two hits and two RBI. Monica and Steven Sensley each had two hits in the game for the Cajuns.
The two teams play the rubber game of the series tomorrow morning at 11:00 am. Hogan Harris (1-0) will get the start for the Cajuns.