High Point broke a four game losing streak on Friday evening with a win over Coastal Carolina, but fell twice in a doubleheader on Saturday to the Chanticleers. This will be the first time High Point and Appalachian play this season, as their previously scheduled game was rained out on March 20th. Since the rain out, High Point has defeated East Carolina and UNC-Charlotte in midweek games, and have lost to North Carolina and Wake Forest. Jared Avidon has pitched the majority of the midweek innings for the Panthers. Opponents are batting .386 against Avidon this season in 37.1 innings. Avidon picked up the win against ECU, and started against UNCC but did not factor into the decision. The Panthers scored 7.6 runs per game last weekend against Coastal Carolina, but had only averaged 4.1 runs per game in their previous ten contests.
Appalachian has only played six games all season long during the week. A plethora of poor weather has left the Mountaineers only completing two such games since March 20th, when the first game was rained out against High point. Since then, Appalachian has had a game start, but erased from record against ETSU, and saw two games with Eastern Kentucky also washed out. Showers are also possible tomorrow evening. Appalachian comes off the weekend after dominating Furman for a three game sweep and returning to the top spot in the conference play. Going into last weekend, Appalachian was in a four-way tie for the conference lead. Tyler Tewell was named the Southern Conference Player of the Week. Tewell’s statistics from the weekend include: .500 batting average, .571 OBP, 1.000 slugging percentage, 6 RBI, 6 runs and three extra base hits.
Probable Starters:
ASU Fr. RHP Jamie Nunn (3-0, 1.61) vs HPU Jr. RHP Jared Avidon (1-3, 8.68)
An unlikely hero, Preston Troutman was dominate all night at the plate despite renegade snow showers and blustery winds. Troutman collected three hits and two RBI in the 6-2 Mountaineer win over High Point on Tuesday evening. Troutman’s three hits included a triple, a bunt single and a routine single to left field. Daniel Kassouf and Tyler Tewell both added two hits and an RBI. For the evening, the Mountaineers only struck out once as a team.
The bottom of the Mountaineer lineup is starting to heat up in the last couple weeks. Trey Holmes added a hit to move his average to .240. Troutman’s effort combined with his performance against Furman last weekend has brought his average to .253. If these players can continue the upward climb, it will only help take the pressure off the top six hitters, all who are batting over . 300.
The Appalachian defense limited High Point to seven hits to seven different Panther batters. As a pitching staff, the Mountaineers only allowed two walks while striking out five. Jamie Nunn (4-0, 1.59) kept his record perfect while lowering his ERA and matched his longest start of the season by pitching six innings. Chad Farmer, Tyler Moore, Will Helms and Nathan Hyatt completed the game from the bullpen.