March 19, 2010

Box Score

Boone, N.C. - Appalachian State scored multiple runs in four innings to erase Western Carolina's early lead on Friday afternoon to take the first of the three-game Southern Conference series at Smith Stadium. Jerod Faggart broke a 3-3 tie with a three-run home run in the bottom of the fourth inning and the Mountaineers did not trail the remainder of the way in snapping a three-game losing skid to the Catamounts.

Game two of the three-game SoCon series is scheduled for 2:00 pm on Saturday afternoon. The game will be broadcast by the Catamount Sports Network and can be heard online at www.CatamountSports.com.

Vance Chavis (2-3) suffered the loss after surrendering six runs on nine hits through four innings of work with a walk and a strikeout. Andrew Chilcoat was the Catamounts' most effective reliever, working 3.2 innings with three strikeouts. Only one of the three runs Chilcoat allowed was earned as he scattered six hits.

Freshmen Preston Hatcher and Adam Curtis also saw action in relief for the Catamounts with the latter posting his first collegiate career strikeout.

WCU catcher Ollie Goulder gave the Catamounts a 2-0 lead with his fifth home run of the season in the first inning, plating Ross Heffley, who finished 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Goulder finished with a team-high three RBI after driving in a run on a sacrifice fly.

Appalachian State (14-2, 2-2 SoCon) answered, though, in the home half of the third with the first of three, three-run frames coming during the middle innings. Four-consecutive base hits including an RBI single by Doug Jones and a two RBI single by Tyler Zupcic pushed three runs across to give the Mountaineers the one-run lead, 3-2, after two.

Heffley doubled home Dylan de Graaf, who posted a 3-for-5 outing at the plate to pace the Catamounts, as Western Carolina tied the game in the third inning. However, Appalachian used Faggart's homer in the fourth and a three-run fifth to take a four-run, 9-5, advantage.

Western Carolina (12-6, 0-4) had its best opportunity for a big inning in the fifth as it loaded the bases with three-straight hits including a pair of bunt singles to open the frame and eventually scratched the scoreboard for two runs. Heffley, the fourth batter of the inning, drew a walk to drive in the first run, trimming the deficit to two with Goulder posting his third RBI with a sacrifice fly to center to score Cameron Dullnig and pull the Catamounts back within a run, 6-5.

However, a fly-out and a strikeout sandwiched around a second walk in the inning ended WCU's threat.

Matt Johns added his first home run of the season, a line-drive shot over the left field fence in the sixth with Dullnig crossing the plate to score the first run allowed by Mountaineer closer Chris Patterson this season to round out WCU's scoring.

For ASU, Matt Andress picked up his fifth win of the season, scattering six runs and 10 base hits over six innings while striking out seven against four walks. Reliever Taylor Miller retired six-straight Catamount hitters in two perfect innings of work with one strikeout to set up Patterson.