Appalachian takes

pair from Lancers
By Steve Behr

Appalachian State’s baseball team closed out the regular season with a sweep of Longwood in a delayed doubleheader that began Thursday and ended Friday.

The Mountaineers beat Longwood 16-6 in a game that began Thursday, but was delayed in the sixth inning because of lightning and steady rain. Appalachian State finished that game Friday and then added a 4-2 victory in the nightcap.

Appalachian State (32-19) will take on The Citadel in the first round of the Southern Conference Tournament Wednesday. The Bulldogs took two out of three from the Mountaineers when the two teams played at Smith Stadium earlier in the season.

Appalachian State goes into the tournament winners of 26 of its final 32 games.

“We’re going to have a tough draw, no matter who it is,” Mountaineers coach Chris Pollard said. “I don’t know if we necessarily match up better with one than the other.”

The Mountaineers warmed up for The Citadel by scoring all 16 of its runs in the first game against Longwood (26-22) on Thursday. Isaac Harrow, who was batting in the sixth when the game was delayed, collected two doubles and two RBIs in earlier innings.

Wes Hobson had a two-run double in the third and a two-run home run in the fourth inning.

Ryan Arrowood and Jeremy Dowdy also hit back-to-back home runs in the Mountaineers’ six-run fourth inning.

Aubrey Edens was cruising along in the sixth inning until the delay. Taylor Miller and Matt Andress finished the game Friday. Appalachian State’s bats went silent the rest of the game as the Mountaineers had just two hits in the final three innings.

“You kind of get out of rhythm than the night before,” Appalachian State centerfielder Rand Smith said.

“You’ve got to get more focused to restart the game. It’s hard, but if it’s a close game, you’ve got to get focused and and finish it out and get the win.”

In the second game, Appalachian State got a solo home run from David Towarnicky and a sacrifice fly from Hobson in the first inning, and an RBI double from Hobson in the fifth to take a 3-0 lead. Jerod Faggart added an RBI single in the eighth inning.

Longwood got a two-run home run from D.J. Pomposini in the fifth inning off starter Josh Dowdy. However, four Appalachian State pitchers, Dowdy, Nick Daniels, Chris Patterson and Zach Quate, held Longwood to three hits in game two.

“Josh, by his own admission, just kind of lost focus with two outs in the fifth,” Pollard said. “But he pitched a terrific ballgame and had a great second half of the year and deserved to get the win.”

ASU 16, Longwood 6
Longwood 005 010 000 — 6 8 3
App. State 225 610 00X — 16 21 0
Dickman, Gwalthey (3), Townsend (4), Walker II (), Johnsen (8) and Quigley. Edens, Miller (6), Andress (7) and Dowdy. W—Edens (6-3), L—Gwalthey (2-1). LOB—Longwood 4, Appalachian State 10. 2B—Longwood, Smiy, Jr. 2, Quigley; ASU, Hobson, Harrow 2, DeRose, Je. Dowdy, Faggart. 3B–Longwood, Smiy, Jr. HR—Longwood, Sollars; ASU, Hobson, Arrowood, Je. Dowdy. SF—Longwood, Cerreto; ASU, Alessandria, Je. Dowdy. CS—ASU, DeRose. HBP—Longwood, Cerreto, Stancik; ASU, Harrow. DP—Longwood 1, ASU 1.

ASU 4, Longwood 2
Longwood 000 020 000 — 2 3 1
App. State 200 010 01X — 4 10 0
Briere, Helder, (3), Montgomery (5), Harting (7) and Quigley. Dowdy, Daniels (7), Patterson (8), Quate (9) and Faggart. W—Dowdy (6-2), L–Montgomery (3-5). LOB—Longwood 2, ASU 11. 2B—Longwood, Cerreto; ASU, Smith, Hobson, Alessandria. HR—Longwood, Pomposini; ASU, Towarnicky. SF—ASU, Hobson. SB—ASU, Smith. CS–ASU, Smith. Blk—Longwood, Montgomery.