After being limited to just one run in the series opener, the Georgia Southern offense got to starter Seth Grant early to even the series at one game apiece in front of the 9th largest crowd at J.I. Clements Stadium. The Eagles struck for 13 runs on 15 hits, with four coming from freshman Hunter Thomas, to treat the 2,349 fans to a 13-3 win.
Appalachian State (25-8, 10-4) started the game off much like they did last night with some first inning offense. However, Georgia Southern (21-16, 9-8) got a gift when Tyler Tewell's double hopped over the left field wall for a ground-rule double. One run in Tyler Zupcic had already crossed the plate and another was on its way in before the ball bounced out of play, sending the runner back to third base.
With the run off the board, Justin Hess settled down and got Jeremy Dowdy to fly out to end the frame with Daniel Kassouf stranded down at third base. The Eagles never seemed the same after the ground-rule double and immediately got the run back in the bottom half of the inning on a wild pitch and a triple by Michael Burruss.
Georgia Southern added another run in the third inning on two errors by the left side of Appalachian State's defense before jumping ahead 11-2 with seven runs, the most allowed in a single inning this season by ASU, in the the fifth inning. The Eagles sent 11 batters to the plate in the frame and four crossed the plate after another defensive error kept the inning alive.
Eric Phillips started the frame with a double and scored the first run of the inning on a bases-loaded single off the bat of T.D. Davis. Phillips came around to bat a second time and this time drove in two runs on a two-out single. Thomas also plated two runs with a single through the left side of the defense and a two-out fielding error by the pitcher allowed two more runs to cross the plate.
Seth Grant was unable to finish the fifth inning and was charged with ten runs – six earned – in 4.2 innings. Grant (6-2) gave up 10 hits, with five coming in the fifth inning, and allowed a hit in every inning but the fourth. The right-hander was struggled finding the final out in the fifth inning and allowed six of the seven runs in that frame.
Georgia Southern took their first lead of the series with a pair of two-out runs in the second inning after base hits from Scooter Williams and Burruss plated Brent Pugh and Thomas. The freshman designated hitter started the rally with a double off the wall in center field and Pugh drew a walk to turn over the lineup for Williams.
Hess (2-1) never looked pretty on the mound but battled in every inning to hold Appalachian State to just two runs. The junior right-hander gave up eight hits, including two in all but one of his five innings. Hess' only easy inning came in the fourth inning when he retired the side in order.
After scoring the first inning run, the Mountaineers did not get back on the scoreboard again until the fifth inning. Crespo led off the inning with a single back up the middle and scored on a one-out base hit off the bat off Will Callaway. Hess walked the next batter in Daniel Kassouf but struck out Tewell and coaxed a ground out to get out of the jam.
Jarret Leverett shut the door on any chance of a comeback attempt by Appalachian State after striking out seven batters in the final four innings. After allowing a sixth inning run on a pair of two-out doubles, Leverett (S, 4) retired the side in order in the next three innings to pick up the long-distance save.
The final game of the three-game series between Georgia Southern and Appalachian State is set for 1:30 p.m. today.
