DURHAM, N.C. – Junior second baseman
Andrew Valichka drilled a two-run home run over the right field fence in the seventh to start a late rally for the North Carolina Central University baseball team, but visiting Appalachian State University held on for a 7-5 win on a chilly Wednesday afternoon at the Durham Athletic Park.
Trailing 7-2 going into the ninth inning, NCCU put its first four batters on base and had the potential game-tying runs on base after scoring three runs. However, reliever Reed Howell got junior
Zach Michalski to popup to end the game in favor of the Mountaineers.
Howell picked up his second save and App State improved to 8-9 overall. NCCU dropped to 9-8.
Valichka led the Eagles with two hits, two RBI and two runs scored. His first home run of the season ended a shutout bid by sophomore starter Bobby Hampton.
After scoring its first two runs on a throwing error on a failed pickoff attempt in the third, App State pulled out to a 6-nil advantage with a four-run fourth. The big frame featured a two-run triple by senior Avery Jackson, who then scored on a single that bounced high off the right-field wall off the bat of classmate Brian Bauk.
The Mountaineers, who tacked their last run in the fifth, rode Hampton's arm four 6 2/3 innings. The southpaw picked up his second win with 10 strikeouts. Hampton (2-1) scattered seven hits and only issued one walk.
Junior
Evan Holland and Valichka started NCCU's ninth-inning rally with a consecutive singles to start the frame. A walk drawn by freshman
Timmy Fischvogt loaded up the bases before Holland scored on a wild pitch. Another base on balls to junior
Dominic Cuevas once again filled the base paths for the Eagles. Howell recorded 13th strikeout of the day for the first out before a fielder's choice groundout by freshman
Corey Joyce plated Valichka. Sophomore Mitchell McCrary followed with a single to left that allowed Cuevas to trot home. Michalski, who has two home runs on the season, stepped into the batter's box as the game-winning run. However, he got under a Howell pitch that was caught by the first baseman near the mound to end the contest.
App State narrowly outhit the Eagles, 12-11. Joyce has three hits while Valichka and Cuevas has two apiece.
NCCU will next make its first Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Southern Division road trip of the season. The Eagles visit Bethune-Cookman University for a three-game set over the weekend with Saturday's doubleheader and Sunday's finale both slated to start at 1 p.m.
