Appalachian State Stays Alive With 10-6 Win Against Cougars

CHARLESTON, S.C. ? No. 7 seeded Appalachian State pounded out 13 hits and all nine batters scored at least one run as the Mountaineers defeated No. 2 seed College of Charleston 10-6 in game nine of the 2010 Bennett Hofford Southern Conference Baseball Championship presented by Carolina Ford Dealers.

It marked the first time in five meetings this season that ASU topped the Cougars.

The Mountaineers (37-17-1) will take on Western Carolina Saturday at 9 a.m. With their second loss of the tournament the Cougars (42-17) were eliminated.

Ryan Arrowood (8-4) picked up the win for ASU, allowing six earned runs on 11 hits. He struck out five in six innings of work. Taylor Miller pitched 1.2 innings to earn the save. He did not allow a hit and retired one batter.

Christian Powell (7-4) suffered the loss for CofC. He gave up nine hits resulting in seven runs, four of which were earned.

Second baseman Wes Hobson and outfielder Tyler Zupcic both went 3-for-4 at the plate with one RBI apiece to lead ASU. Shortstop Doug Jones hit 2-for-4 and catcher Jeremy Dowdy also registered two hits. First baseman David Towarnicky and outfielder Jack Myers each tallied two RBIs.

First baseman Greg Blake, outfielder Jose Rodriguez and shortstop Jamie Holler each went 2-for-4 to lead the Cougars. Rodriguez and second baseman Joey Bergman combined to drive in four runs.

Appalachian State put a run on the board in the top of the first, as third baseman Hector Crespo scored on a groundout by Towarnicky.

Zupcic led off the top of the second with a triple to right field. He was plated on a sacrifice bunt by Myers. Outfielder Chris Alessandria scored on a fly out by Crespo.

CofC tied it at three in the bottom of the second. Blake sent a solo shot to right field before a triple by Bergman plated designated hitter Dre Watts and Rodriguez.

The Mountaineers scored two runs in the top of the third and the Cougars responded with three of their own in the bottom of the inning to take a 6-5 lead. Rodriguez homered to left center to score Blake, while a single by shortstop Jamie Holler brought in outfielder Baker Knox.

ASU tallied two runs in the fourth and one in the fifth, while holding CofC scoreless to take an 8-6 advantage into the seventh. That lead was extended to four in the seventh when Hobson singled up the middle. Crespo scored on a throwing error along with Jones.

After scoring six runs over two innings, the Cougars went six frames without a score.

CofC committed four errors to ASU’s one. Both teams left 10 runners on base.