By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — After splitting the first two games of the weekend series by way of slugfests, Appalachian State and James Madison engaged in a see-saw battle in Game 3. Appropriately, the final contest went into extra innings with the Mountaineers winning in walk-off fashion, 9-7.
In the bottom half of the 10th inning, with the game tied at 7-7, Andrew Terrell ripped a two-out double to right centerfield, then C J Boyd launched a game-winning home run over the right field fence to produce the winning margin.
Now 21-19 overall, 11-9 in Sun Belt Conference play, the Mountaineers have 10 games remaining in the regular season — all opportunities to improve on their seeding in the SBC championship tournament yet to come.
App State scored four runs in the bottom half of the first inning to take the early lead, and added a run in each of the 3rd and 4th innings to counter JMU’s three runs in the top half of the third. But the Dukes kept nibbling until plating two runs in the top of the eighth to take their first lead.
But the lead wouldn’t stick after designated hitter Alex Reed clubbed a 1-out double down the right field line. He was replaced by pinch runner Grey LaSpaluto, then watched as Terrell looped a single near the right field line, scoring LaSpaluto to tie the game at 7-7 and set the final heroics.
The Mountaineers play host to East Tennessee State on May 2 before traveling to Conway, S.C. for a 3-game conference series May 5-7 vs. Coastal Carolina, the current league leader at 28-14 overall, 15-6 in conference.
Key Individual Performances
- APP C J Boyd: 1-5, 1 run scored, 2 RBIs, HR (7 on the season)
- APP Golston Gillespie: 1-4, 1 run scored, 3 RBIs, HR (13)
- APP Alex Reed: 2-4, 1 run scored, 2B
- JMU Jack Cone: 3-5, 2 runs scored, 1 RBI, HR (4), 2B (15), SB (11)
- JMU Ryan Dooley: 4-5, 1 run scored, 2B (4)
- JMU Mason Dunaway: 2-5, 2B (6),
