Isaac Harrow went 5-for-6 with five RBI in Saturday's 15-6 win (photo courtesy of Marc DeRose) Baseball, at Jacksonville State (Game One), March 15: Game statistics Baseball, at Jacksonville State (Game Two), March 15: Game statistics

Appalachian Splits Twinbill at Jax State, Takes Series
by Appalachian Sports Information

March 15, 2008 - JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - Appalachian State University baseball split Saturday’s doubleheader at Jacksonville State, banging out a season-high 21 hits to take the opener, 15-6, before dropping the final game of a stretch of eight contests in eight days, 5-4. With the split, Appalachian took the three-game weekend series at Jax State, two games to one, and moved to 10-8 on the season.

Third baseman Isaac Harrow led the offensive proficiency in game one with ASU’s top hitting performance of the season, a 5-for-6, five-RBI effort.

The Mountaineers held a tenuous 8-6 lead heading into the final inning, but plated seven runs in the top of the ninth on the strength of two-run singles by David Towarnicky, Jason Rook and Harrow and an RBI base hit from Jason Altenhof. Altenhof finished 3-for-6 with two runs and Rand Smith added a 3-for-4, three-run effort that was highlighted by a three-run homer in the fourth.

Matt Andress struck out a career-high nine over 5.2 innings to move to 3-1 on the season. ASU reliever Adam Mills upped his scoreless innings streak to 15 by closing out the victory with 2.1 stanzas of perfect relief. The right-handed senior, who has not surrendered a run all season, earned his first save of the campaign.

Perhaps feeling the effects of the grueling eight-day, three-city road trip in the nightcap, the Mountaineers managed just eight hits in the one-run loss. Trailing 4-2 in the seventh, the Apps rallied to tie the ballgame on RBI from Rook and Wes Hobson, but Jacksonville State (7-10) answered with a run in the bottom of the stanza and held on for the win.

Despite allowing just five hits and striking out six in 5.2 innings of work, Rook was saddled with the loss to fall to 0-2 on the season.

After opening the season with 18-straight games away from Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium, Appalachian makes its 2008 home debut on Tuesday afternoon when it entertains Wake Forest at 2:30 p.m.