High Country Sports

Author: David

  • Huskies upend Pioneers, 7-1, with 6-run 6th inning

    By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Watauga hurler Everett Gryder allowed just one run over five innings vs. Ashe County on April 8, but the visiting Huskies chased him in the top of the 6th inning with five runs on three hits against the sophomore ace, en route to a 7-1 win at Pioneer Field.

    Ashe County left fielder Gage Cheek went 1-3 on the day, the one hit being a bases-loaded, 3-RBI double, a major part of the 6-run offensive explosion by the Huskies in the sixth inning.

    Watauga’s Jake Blanton makes an acrobatic slide around the would-be tag in stealing second base vs. Ashe County on April 8. Photographic image by David Rogers

    For the first five innings, the game was shaping up to be a 1-1 pitchers duel between Gryder on the mound for the Pioneers and Kye Pennington on the bump for Ashe County. Pennington allowed three hits and one run over five and one-third innings. He struck out seven Pioneers and walked four.

    Gryder struck out the last two Husky batters in the top of the first, but not before the visitors took advantage of a walk that put Brodie Burgess on the base paths. He advanced on an errant pickoff attempt and eventually scored on a fielder’s choice grounder to shortstop Maddox Greene.

    It’s the moment of truth when bat meets ball… Photographic image by David Rogers

    In the bottom half of the opening frame, the Pioneers responded when Greene rapped a 2-out ground ball through the middle for a single, then scored when Pioneer catcher Cooper Critcher doubled to the gap in right center.

    Both pitchers cruised through the next four innings with only a little trouble, Pennington facing perhaps his biggest threat in issuing two consecutive walks before any outs in the bottom of the third.

    Everett Gryder pitched five strong innings before getting roughed up by the Husky batters in the 6th. Photographic image by David Rogers

    After the Huskies exploded for six runs in the top of the sixth, prompting the Pioneers to insert Jameson Hodges on the hill for the remainder of the game, Pennington gave way to reliever Jordan Tibbs when the Pioneers mounted a minor scoring threat to start the inning.

    Gryder was credited with allowing five runs on three hits with seven strikeouts and four walks for his five-plus innings of work. Pennington picked up the win for the Huskies, allowing just one run on three hits, matching Gryder’s seven strikeouts and four walks.

    TOP PERFORMERS

    • ASH – Gage Cheek: 1-3, 1 run scored, 3 RBIs, 2B
    • ASH – Burgess: 1-3, 2 runs scored, walk
    • ASH – J Tibbs: 1-3, 1 run scored, 2 RBIs, walk
    • WAT – Cooper Critcher: 1-3, 1 RBI, 2B
    • WAT – Maddox Greene: 1-4, 1 run scored
    • WAT – Jake Blanton: 0-2, walk, stolen base

  • Forty-four years and counting, Trout Derby is a hit

    By David Rogers. BLOWING ROCK, N.C. — At 44 years, the Blowing Rock Trout Derby is the second longest, continuous running event in town behind only the six decades of Art in the Park — and if the trout weren’t exactly jumping on the fishing tackle April 6, there was plenty of angler action and loads of family fun.

    In moving the event headquarters to a tent setup on the north end of Broyhill Lake, event director Kim Rogers and her merry band of volunteers Mike Calhoun, Tom Shelley, Maddie Parker, Anabel Parker and representatives of co-sponsor The Speckled Trout Outfitters were kept busy throughout the day by the “small fry” and their families lining the banks of the historic lake to the west of the American Legion Building. They loaded up on Trout Derby T-shirts and free, richly supplied tackle boxes, all aimed at promoting fishing among young people — just like the original sponsors of Trout Derby more than four decades ago. They included Rogers’ father, Elmer Jenkins (Jenkins Realtors), Earl Trexler (Village Hardware), James Marsh (Northwestern Bank), and Wayne Underwood (Mystery Hill).

    Blowing Rock Trout Derby can be a terrific family affair, as evidence by the multiple generations of the Rooney family. Photographic image by David Rogers

    While the morning started out blustery with sub-freezing temperatures and estimated 30 miles per hour winds, it hardly dampened the spirits of young and old alike happy to be celebrating the opening day of trout fishing season.

    Young Asher Boyd turned the proverbial “hat trick” as a triple winner on the day. He registered the First Fish at 7:46 a.m., captured first place in the “Catch and Release” small fry division, and won the art contest. For the latter, his art will be showcased on next year’s event T-Shirt and promotional posters.

    Mason Rush and Charlotte Hill each won $25 for catching one of the tagged fish. In the 16 and older “Traditional” (harvest) division, James Rooney captured first place with a 21.5″ trophy fish. Meredith Cavalier was close behind with a 20.5 incher. And Gene Hodges rounded out the top 3 with a 19.5-inch fish that would fit nicely on any dinner plate.

    Lots of families enjoyed the warming sun mid-morning on April 6 at Broyhill Lake, the headquarters for Blowing Rock Trout Derby. Photographic image by David Rogers

    In the “Catch and Release” 16 and older division, Tripp Nazziola reeled in 437 inches of bait catchers, followed by No. 2 Phillip Jamison’s 378 inches and No. 3 Ben Milam’s 225.5 inches.

    In the Traditional division, Price Lake proved the source of two of the three largest species categories. For Brook trout, Grayzlyn Douglas took top honors with a 13.25-inch specimen from Price Lake. For Brown trout, Meredith Cavalier won the prize at 20.5 inches (Watauga River). And for Rainbow, James Rooney hauled in a 21.5 incher out of Price Lake.

    Following Boyd’s first place effort in the “Catch and Release” Small Fry division were second place Ethan Boyd and third place Joey Sexton.

    Event director Kim Rogers (center) discuss the big morning turnout for Trout Derby on April 6 with volunteer granddaughters Anabel Parker (left) and Maddie Parker. Photographic image by David Rogers.

    In the Traditional Small Fry division, Palmer Jordanhaby was No. 1 at 16.75 inches, Lucy Vandenhazen was No. 2 at 15.5 inches, and Grayzlyn Douglas picked up some more hardware at No. 3 (13.25-inches).

    Grayzlyn Douglas (left) holds up her family’s morning catch on April 6 during Blowing Rock Trout Derby. Photographic image by David Rogers

    Sponsors of this year’s event included First Citizens Bank, the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission Division of Inland Fisheries, the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce, Jenkins Realtors, The Speckled Trout Restaurant and The Speckled Trout Outfitters, Hollars Construction, Omega Tees, Town Tavern, Chetola Mountain Resort, Cheeky, Mountaineer Maintenance, Booneshine Brewing, Edmisten Heating & Cooling, Scientific Anglers, 4 Forty Four Construction, Jim Allen Home Solutions, Snake Mountain Iron Works, A-1 Termite and Pest Control, Riversmith Boulder Colorado, Wingo Outdoors, High Country Professional Cleaners, Free Fly, The Village Foundation of Blowing Rock, Thomas & Thomas, Stickboy Bread, Lamson, Food Lion and Bush Carpet Cleaning.

     

     

  • App State can’t quite rally back after JMU’s five first inning HRs in 13-9 loss

    By David Rogers. HARRISONBURG, Va. — Take away the first inning and App State won the baseball game on April 5 at James Madison. But when the Dukes opened the game with three consecutive home runs off the bats of Fenwick Trimble, Mike Mancini, and Coleman Calabrese, and then added two more solo shots at the bottom of the batting order (Jason Schiavone and Wyatt Peifer) as JMU batted around in the bottom of the first for a 7-0 start… well, it just proved to much of a deficit for the Mountaineers to overcome in losing, 13-9 on a chilly, cloudy day at Eagle Field in front of announced attendance of 434.

    After the first inning long ball explosion, James Madison primarily played small ball to manufacture another run in the second inning and three more in the third frame while starting pitcher Jaden Kinsler kept the App State bats all but silenced. The 6-4, 210 lb. sophomore hurler from Glen Allen, Va. retired the side, three up-three down, in each of the first three innings as the Dukes built an 11-0 early lead.

    Mountaineer fans know, however, that the 2024 edition of App State baseball is a dangerous bunch, offensively, and they began to cut into the 11-run deficit in the top of the fourth. Austin St. Laurent drove a single to left, then Banks Tolley drew a 4-pitch walk. Kinsler appeared to be in some discomfort on the mound, favoring his left throwing shoulder. And after he hit two consecutive batters — Braxton Church to load the bases and Drew Holderbach to force in the Mountaineers’ first run — JMU head coach Marlin Ikenberry and an entourage believed to have included pitching coach Travis Ferrick and athletic trainer Jonathan Leonard hurried out to the mound to talk with Kinsler, eventually pulling him.

    The Dukes brought in junior righthander Todd Mozoki to face the Mountaineers. He promptly walked App State shortstop Adam Quintero, forcing Tolley home for a second run. Then, with runners in scoring position at second and third, APP rightfielder Hunter Wilder laced a single through the right side. Church and Holderbach both scored on the play. Although Mozoki got the final two outs to end the Mountaineer rally, the top of the fourth had breathed new life into the App State lineup.

    APP scored three more runs in the top of the fifth inning. C J Boyd singled up the middle, Tolley doubled down the left field line with Boyd beating a wild,relay throw home by the shortstop with Tolley advancing to third on the throwing error. Church followed with an RBI ground-out, scoring Tolley. Holderbach kept the inning alive with a single to left, setting up an RBI double by Quintero down the left field line that died in the outfield corner (Holderbach scoring).

    Meanwhile, the Mountaineers were getting some strong pitching help from reliever Grey LaSpaluto, blanking the Dukes in the 4th, 5th and 6th innings. The senior righthander struck out five while walking five of the dozen batters he faced, with one wild pitch, but allowing no runs on no hits in the 2.2 innings on the rubber.

    The Dukes did score their final two runs in the bottom of the 7th inning, but App State countered with their final two runs in the top of the 8th.

    With the loss, the Mountaineers fall to 18-9 overall, 5-5 in Sun Belt Conference play. James Madison’s record improves to 17-12 overall, 4-6 in SBC play.

    The teams look to complete the 3-game weekend series on April 6 (first pitch at 4 p.m.) and April 7 (1 p.m.).

    TOP PERFORMERS

    • JMU – Fenwick Trimble: 3-4, 3 runs scored, 2 RBIs, HR, walk, stolen base
    • JMU – Mike Mancini: 2-4, 2 runs scored, 3 RBIs, HR, sacrifice fly, stolen base
    • JMU – Kyle Langley: 1-3, 1 run scored, 2 RBIs, HR, walk
    • JMU – Jason Schiavone: 1-2, 2 runs scored, 1 RBI, HR, 2 walks, stolen base
    • JMU – Wyatt Peifer: 1-2, 3 runs scored, 1 RBI, HR, walk, hit by pitch
    • APP – Austin St. Laurent: 2-5, 1 run scored, 2 RBIs, 2B
    • APP – Banks Tolley: 1-4, 2 runs scored, 1 RBI, 2B, walk
    • APP – C J Boyd: 2-5, 1 run scored
    • APP – Braxton Church: 0-3, 1 run scored, 1 RBI, hit by pitch
    • APP – Drew Holderbach: 1-4, 2 runs scored, 1 RBI, hit by pitch
    • APP – Adam Quintero: 1-4, 2 RBIs, 2B, walk
    • APP – Hunter Wilder: 1-4, 2 RBIs
    • APP – Grey LaSpaluto: pitched 2.2 scoreless innings in relief, 5 strikeouts, 5 walks
    • APP – Max Tramontana: pitched 1.2 scoreless innings in relief, 3 strikeouts, one wild pitch, 16 of 20 total pitches were strikes

  • Kerns awarded contract extension through 2029-30 as App State MBB head coach

    By Jacob Plecker. BOONE, N.C. – On the heels of a record-breaking season, App State head men’s basketball Dustin Kerns has signed a contract extension that runs through the 2029-30 season, Director of Athletics Doug Gillin announced Friday. The extension was approved by Chancellor Sheri Everts and the Appalachian State University Board of Trustees.

    “Dustin and his staff have turned App State Men’s Basketball into a perennial contender for conference titles and postseason berths, and we are excited to see the program’s continued upward trajectory under his leadership,” Gillin said. “With 27 wins, the first regular-season Sun Belt title, historic home crowds and national television appearances, Dustin’s team showed App State can compete among the best in college basketball, and we look forward to continued success for the program and our student-athletes both on and off the court.”

    Sun Belt Coach of the Year Dustin Kerns speaks to the press following the Mountaineers’ thrilling OT victory over Georgia Southern March 9. Photo courtesy of Sun Belt Sports.

    The Mountaineers set several program records in the 2023-24 season in Kerns’ fifth year at the helm, tallying a program-best 27 wins, an undefeated record at home for the first time in the Division I era, a Sun Belt Conference regular-season championship and an NIT appearance for the first time since the 2006-07 season. App State also set the Holmes Center attendance record, hosted the first two sellouts at the Holmes Center in over a decade and welcomed four of the six largest crowds in the building’s history.

    Fans can support the program by putting down a deposit on 2024-25 season tickets today.

    App State is one of just 23 Division I teams with at least 27 wins and one of only 12 teams with at least 16 conference wins this season. Additionally, the Mountaineers tied the 1988-89 team for the most nonconference wins in program history with 10 while defeating a Power Five opponent in back-to-back years for the first time since the 2006 and 2007 seasons.

    App State head coach Dustin Kerns in App State’s Feb. 15 win over Marshall. Photographic image by Michael Mann Jr, Courtesy of App State Athletics.

    Adding to the team success, the Mountaineers posted three wins against teams that made the NCAA Tournament this season and were the only team in the country to be undefeated in both Quad 1 and Quad 2 games. App State was the only team in the nation to post three winning streaks of at least eight games this season.

    “We are so thankful to our Board of Trustees, Chancellor Everts and Doug Gillin for the confidence to keep our program moving forward,” Kerns said. “Thank you to our student-athletes and our coaching staff who are the reason we do this. We are thrilled at the direction and investment that has been shown to make App State Basketball one of the best programs out there.”

    “Our students and fan base have made the Holmes Center one of the best game day atmospheres in the Sun Belt. Myself, Brittany, Emory and Riggs love being Mountaineers and we are so excited to continue to be a part of this incredible Boone community.”

    Kerns has not posted a losing season in his five years at App State, making him the first Mountaineer head coach to secure five consecutive winning seasons since Tom Apke did so from 1987-1992. His 97 wins across his tenure are the most wins by a Mountaineer head coach over a five-year stretch in the Division I era.

    Because of the Mountaineers’ success, Kerns was named the Sun Belt Coach of the Year, marking App State’s first conference coach of the year since Houston Fancher took home the award in 2003. Kerns was also named the NABC All-District 23 Coach of the Year and was a finalist for both the Jim Phelan and Hugh Durham Coach of the Year.

    Dustin Kerns was pacing the floor on Feb. 28, but needn’t have worried with a 20+ point lead most of the game vs. Old Dominion.Photographic image by David Rogers

    A program-record four players received Sun Belt honors this past season under Kerns’ tutelage, which included two first team all-conference selections for the first time since 1999-00. App State has seen six players garner All-Sun Belt honors in Kerns’ tenure and four first-team selections.

    The 2023-24 Mountaineers featured one of the most efficient offenses and defenses in the Sun Belt as they led the league in scoring defense while also boasting the fourth-best scoring offense, leading to the second-best scoring margin in the Sun Belt at 11.2. The Mountaineers have led the league in scoring defense each of the past three seasons and have finished in the top two every year under Kerns.

    Bryant Greene, seated, is congratulated by App State men’s basketball head coach Dustin Kerns for his play on Dec. 5 against Central Penn, and his contributions toward a 111-35 win over the Knights. Photographic image by David Rogers

    Statistically, the Mountaineers ranked in the top 10 in the country in blocks (first), blocks per game (first), field-goal percentage defense (fourth), fouls per game (third) and rebounds per game (fifth). App State’s 230 blocks in 2023-24 set a program record.

    Capping off the historic season, the Mountaineers’ NIT appearance marked the third time in the Kerns era that the Mountaineers have made the postseason. App State made the NCAA Tournament after claiming the Sun Belt Tournament crown in 2020-21 while also participating in the Basketball Classic in the 2021-22 season. Before Kerns, the Mountaineers hadn’t made a postseason appearance since 2009-10.

    Off the floor, Mountaineer student-athletes have experienced success under Kerns as three student-athletes made the 2023 fall semester Dean’s List. The Mountaineers have achieved at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA each of the past two semesters.

  • Sharp Shooting: Presbyterian veteran hired as new App State women’s basketball head coach

    By Katherine Jamtgaard. BOONE, N.C. – Alaura Sharp, who led Presbyterian College to its first NCAA Tournament appearance and win last month, has been named the ninth head coach in App State women’s basketball history, Director of Athletics Doug Gillin announced Friday.

    App State will hold a press conference on Friday, April 12 on the fifth floor of the Mark E. Ricks Athletics Complex to introduce Sharp. The press conference is scheduled for 12:15 p.m. Lunch will be provided for media members, staff, students and fans who would like to attend.

    “We are thrilled to welcome Alaura to the App State family,” Gillin said. “She is a proven leader who has recruited and developed student-athletes at a high level. Her vision for the program aligns with our core values of academic integrity, competitive excellence, social responsibility and a world-class experience. We are excited about the future of App State Women’s Basketball.”

    Fans can support the program by putting down a deposit on 2024-25 season tickets today.

    Last month, Sharp guided Presbyterian to its first NCAA Tournament berth in program history, which turned into its first NCAA Tournament victory when the Blue Hose defeated Sacred Heart 49-42 in the First Four. Presbyterian then fell to No. 1 South Carolina, but not before Sharp led her squad to a program-record 21 wins.

    In 2024, Sharp guided Presbyterian to its first NCAA Tournament bert and first NCAA Tournament victory — and a program record 21 wins.

    Before serving the last six seasons as head coach at Presbyterian, Sharp was an assistant for two years each at Louisiana Tech and Southern Miss, where she helped her teams earn a postseason bid all four seasons. She was also a successful head coach at the junior college level at Garden City (Kan.) Community College and Lamar (Colo.) Community College.

    “I’m honored to be named the head women’s basketball coach at App State,” Sharp said. “It is exciting to join an athletic department that has so much momentum and success. I look forward to building relationships with the players and growing this program. The Sun Belt is loaded with great coaches and talented players that I am excited to be a part of.

    “I want to thank the Board of Trustees, Chancellor Everts, Doug Gillin and the rest of the administration for believing in me. I am excited to get to work.”

    In addition to earning the program’s first NCAA Tournament berth and setting the wins record, Sharp’s 2023-24 Blue Hose team claimed the program’s first Big South Tournament title and became the first No. 5 seed to ever win the Big South women’s tournament when they trounced Radford 60-37 in the championship game on ESPN2.

    Coaching at the smallest Division I school in the country, Sharp led Presbyterian to steady improvements throughout her first five seasons leading up to the breakout sixth campaign. Her 2020-21 team turned in the program’s first winning record (11-10) in five years, while her 2022-23 squad captured their best league finish (tied for fourth) in seven years.

    Under Sharp’s tutelage, center Bryanna Brady became the program’s first two-time All-Big South honoree, while guard Tilda Sjökvist also earned All-Big South accolades in 2023-24. Sjökvist was named the 2024 Big South Tournament MVP, while Brady and Mara Neira joined her on the All-Tournament Team.

    Sharp’s teams are known for defensive tenacity and efficient offense, as evidenced by PC leading the Big South and ranking 56th nationally in scoring defense in 2023-24, while also topping the league in assists per outing. A season earlier, the Blue Hose ranked top 65 nationally in field-goal percentage, 3-point percentage and 3-pointers made per game, while Brady led the league and was 24th in the nation in field-goal percentage.

    In two seasons as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Louisiana Tech, she helped the Lady Techsters make their first postseason appearance in six seasons with a WNIT berth in 2016-17, followed by a 19-win season in 2017-18 and a second consecutive WNIT appearance.

    Sharp spent the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons as associate head coach and recruiting coordinator at Southern Miss, where she helped the Golden Eagles reach back-to-back Conference USA Tournament championship games and make a pair of WNIT trips. The 2014-15 team advanced to the WNIT quarterfinals, and Southern Miss won a total of 52 games in Sharp’s two seasons on staff.

    From 2009-13, Sharp spent four seasons as head coach at Garden City Community College, where she compiled an 83-45 record, defeated 11 nationally ranked teams, and turned the Broncbusters into a top contender each year in the tough Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference and Region VI.

    Sharp guided GCCC to its best record in school history at 29-4 and a No. 13 ranking in the NJCAA polls in 2012-13 and mentored an All-American in Tamara Jones from Prosser, Wash., in her last two years. She was awarded the KJCCC Coach of the Year in her first season in 2009-10, while her teams advanced to the semifinals of the Region VI Tournament in 2012 and 2013.

    She spent the 2008-09 season as head coach at Lamar Community College in Colorado after a two-year stint as an assistant at Adams State University.

    A native of Fredonia, Kansas, Sharp was a second-team All-KJCCC selection and NJCAA Academic All-American at Fort Scott (Kan.) Community College while averaging 14 points and 12 rebounds as a sophomore. She finished her collegiate career at Southwest Minnesota State, where she led her team in steals at 3.5 per game.

    Sharp graduated magna cum laude from SMSU in 2006, earning a bachelor’s degree in physical education with a sports management concentration and a minor in coaching.

  • Big midweek crowd sees App State knock off regional rival High Point, 11-3

    By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — At 1,296, the second largest crowd in Smith Stadium history witnessed solid run production by App State in the early and middle innings on April 2. Scoreless pitching in the final three frames backed up the Mountaineers’ offense, propelling them to an 11-3, non-conference midweek win over regional rival, High Point.

    Leftfielder C J Boyd has been in a little bit of a slump of late, but seemed to break out of it in leading off the bottom half of the first inning with a solo shot over the left field fence. The Mountaineers manufactured three more runs in the first frame after Boyd’s leadoff dinger, including a single each by Austin St. Laurent and Banks Tolley before Drew Holderbach ripped a 1-out single up the middle, scoring St. Laurent.

    C J Boyd (10) takes aim at a home run ball to lead off the first inning on April 2 vs. High Point. Photographic image by David Rogers

    Adam Quintero fouled off the first pitch thrown to him, but then watched patiently as the Panthers’ starting pitcher, Bryan Rivera, chucked four straight balls that passed outside the strike zone, the walk loading the bases for the Mountaineers.

    App State right fielder Hunter Wilder worked the count to full, 3-2, before getting a free pass to first, scoring Tolley. Then catcher Tommy Walker pushed Holderbach home with a sacrifice fly to left. That ended the first inning scoring for the Mountaineers, but they jumped in front with a 4-0 lead.

    The visiting Panthers closed the deficit, scoring two runs in the second inning and one in the third while blanking App State in the bottom half of the frames with a new pitcher, Howell Polk.

    Senior righthander Trey Tujetsch started on the mound for the Mountaineers, pitching two innings while giving up 2 runs on 2 hits, with 2 strikeouts and 2 walks, and one wild pitch. Photographic image by David Rogers

    But after St. Laurent singled in the bottom half of the 4th inning, then Tolley and designated hitter Braxton Church hit consecutive doubles to score two more runs, Polk was chased and replaced by Jake Potts on the mound. He didn’t fare much better, giving up run-scoring doubles to Quintero and APP second baseman Joseph Zamora. High Point brought Dalton Olsovsky to the mound to get the final out of the inning, but not before the Mountaineers had batted around in the inning, scoring 5 runs on 5 hits and had pushed the advantage to 9-3, a lead they never surrendered.

    App State added two insurance runs in the bottom half of the 5th inning. After Tolley singled, Holderbach took advantage of the wind blowing out, hammering the ball deep over the left field fence for his fifth home run of the season.

    Braxton Church squares around to bunt in the first inning on April 2 at Smith Stadium, vs. High Point. Photographic image by David Rogers

    Meanwhile, three righthanded relief pitchers each took a turn on the mound for the Mountaineers, including Max Tramontana, Grey LaSpaluto, and Zach Lewis. None of them allowed High Point to score a run, although Tramontana and Lewis each allowed one hit and one walk. Among the five hitters Lewis faced, three were strikeouts, scattered around an early hit, a couple of wild pitches and a walk by the redshirt sophomore from Winston-Salem.

    Next up for the Mountaineers is a road trip to Harrisonburg, Va., in a Sun Belt Conference test at James Madison on April 5, 6, and 7.

    KEY PERFORMERS

    • APP – Drew Holderbach: 3-4, 2 runs scored, 3 RBIs, HR, walk
    • APP – Banks Tolley: 3-4, 3 runs scored, 1 RBI, 2B, walk
    • APP – Austin St. Laurent: 3-5, 2 runs scored, 2B, walk
    • APP – Joseph Zamora: 3-5, 2 RBIs, 2B
    • APP – C J Boyd: 1-5, 1 run scored, 1 RBI, HR, walk
    • APP – Adam Quintero: 1-3, 1 run scored, 1 RBI, walk
    • APP – Hunter Wilder: 0-2, 1 run scored, 1 RBI, 2 walks, hit by pitch
    • APP – Braxton Church: 1-5, 1 run scored, 1 RBI, 2B
    • HPU – Miggy Echazaretta: 1-2, 1 run scored, 3 walks, 1 stolen base
    • HPU – Brayden Simpson: 1-4, 1 run scored, 1 RBI, walk
    • HPU – Cael Chatham: 1-2, 1 run scored, 2B, walk

     

     

  • App State steamrolls past Marshall, 19-2, to claim series win

    By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Once in a week is one thing, but twice? It may be a High Country epidemic.

    Just two days after Watauga High School’s 15-run explosion in the top of the first inning at Freedom, App State counters with 15 runs in the the first two innings against Marshall on March 30 at Smith Stadium in front of an announced crowd of 1,027 mostly Mountaineer fans — on their way to a dynamic, 19-2 win on a bright, sunny day for baseball, jackets optional in the sometimes breezy conditions. It felt like the day before Easter and had the Mountaineers been carrying baskets, there was plenty of good stuff to put in them.

    BONUS PHOTOS AT BOTTOM OF ARTICLE

    Austin St. Laurent slides home for App State in 19-2 win over Marshall on March 30.Photographic image by David Rogers

    And it started in the top of the first inning with The Thundering Herd at bat and App State’s righthanded sophomore pitcher, Jackson Steensma, on the mound. The Byron Center, Mich., product was “feeling it” on the day, delivering a three up-three down performance in the top of the first, all strikeouts.

    App State scored five runs in bottom half of the first, manufactured initially by two RBI doubles from 3B Austin St. Laurent and C Braxton Church. They were followed by run-scoring singles off the bats of Adam Quintero and Kameron Miller.

    Steensma did another masterful job in retiring the side again in the top half of the second inning, 3-up and 3-down once again. Meanwhile, the Mountaineer offense was just getting started.

    Adam Quintero beats the throw home on March 30 in 19-2 win over Marshall. Photographic image by David Rogers

    Early in the inning, after St. Laurent had singled through the left side of the diamond, what should have been a routine double play was muffed by the Marshall second baseman and Banks Tolley reached first on the error with St. Laurent advancing to second. Church followed with a walk, loading the bases. Drew Holderbach singled to center, scoring both St. Laurent and Tolley, but it was just the first two of what would become a 10-run inning.

    Intermixed among at bats where Quintero walked and Hunter Wilder was hit by a pitch, Miller doubled down the left field line and Joseph Zamora doubled down the right field line, with three more runs scoring.

    After The Herd got a second out and it looked like the visitors from West Virginia might avoid any more damage, it turned ugly — or beautiful if you were App State. St. Laurent ripped his second single of the inning, scoring Zamora and Wilder, then stole second. Tolley walked and both he and St. Laurent advanced on a wild pitch. Church walked to load the bases again, then everyone advanced on another wild pitch, St. Laurent scoring.

    With obvious control problems, the Marshall righthander Cole Agemy coffed up the last run of the inning on yet another wild pitch, but mercifully the inning ended on a fly ball third out to left. But it didn’t come before App State plated 10 runs in the inning to jump out to a 15-0 lead.

    Drew Holderbach is waved home in App State’s 19-2 win over Marshall on March 30. Photographic image by David Rogers
    Holderbach dives head first iacross home plate. Photographic image by David Rogers

    With Steensma rolling on the mound for App State, he kept Marshall scoreless through the fifth inning. Meanwhile, the visitors seemed to find a solution on the mound in senior Peyton Schofield, who managed to pitch three scoreless innings with four strikeouts and just two walks. Even if the Indiana native hit a couple of Mountaineer batters in his three innings of work, he managed to wriggle out of any scoring threats from the 13 batters he faced.

    Marshall finally got on the scoreboard with a 2-run blast off the bat of left fielder Elijah Vogelsong, but App State countered with four more runs in the bottom half of the inning, thanks to home runs from Tolley and Miller. For Tolley, his 2-run blast was the third of the weekend series. For Miller, his 2-run dinger was the second HR of the series, the second in as many days, and the second of his young App State career.

    Next up for Mountaineers is an April 2 non-conference rematch with High Point, played at Smith Stadium. They resume Sun Belt Conference play at James Madison on April 5, 6 and 7.

    TOP PERFORMERS

    • APP – Jackson Steensma: winning pitcher, allowed 2 runs on 3 hits over 6 innings, w/ 7 strikeouts
    • APP – Kameron Miller: 3-5, 2 runs scored, 6 RBIs, 2B, HR
    • APP – Austin St. Laurent: 4-5, 4 runs scored, 3 RBIs, 2 doubles
    • APP – Banks Tolley: 1-3, 3 runs scored, 2 RBIs, HR, 2 walks
    • APP – Braxton Church: 1-2, 2 runs scored, 1 RBI, 2B, 2 walks
    • APP – Joseph Zamora: 1-3, 1 run scored, 1 RBI, 2B
    • APP – Drew Holderbach: 1-2, 2 runs scored, 2 RBIs, 3 walks
    • APP – Adam Quintero: 1-3, 2 runs scored, 2 RBIs, 1 walk
    • MAR – Elijah Vogelsong: 1-3, 1 run scored, 2 RBIs, HR

    BONUS PHOTOS

     

     

     

  • A 6-run 8th inning powers App State past Marshall in Game 2, 15-10

    By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Senior outfielder Banks Tolley clubbed two home runs in Appalachian State’s 15-10 baseball win vs. Marshall on March 29. Teammate Drew Holderbach described Tolley’s second HR in the decisive 8th inning as “a missile” that might still be in orbit around Mother Earth.

    While Tolley’s two home runs provided bookends for his day at the plate, coming in the first and eighth innings, App State’s run production was otherwise broad. A total of seven players in the lineup scored two runs each. The list includes 3B Austin St. Laurent, CF Tolley, C Braxton Church, 1B Holderbach, SS Adam Quintero, RF Hunter Wilder, and 2B Joseph Zamora.

    Mountaineer shortstop Adam Quintero fields a grounder and throws the runner out at first. Photographic image by David Rogers

    Without hitting a home run, Zamora had arguably the best day at the plate, only an HR short of hitting the cycle, with three RBIs produced by his single, double and triple.

    On the mound, Bradley Wilson was the Mountaineers starter, going five full innings while giving up three runs on six hits, with two walks and two strikeouts. In facing 23 batters, Wilson threw 97 pitches, 62 of them strikes.

    Wilson was followed on the hill by Grey LaSpaluto, who has been stellar of late but had some challenges on this day. After a sixth inning in which he retired the side in order, LaSpaluto was roughed up in the seventh. Marshall manufactured four runs off the senior righthander from Apex, N.C., on five hits. After Max Tramontana relieved him, two more runs scored were credited to LaSpaluto (runners inherited).

    After a 3-run homer by Drew Holderbach (35), he is greeted by Braxton Church (27) and Austin St. Laurent (7), both of whom scored ahead of him. Adam Quintero is next batter up and joins in the celebration. Photographic image by David Rogers

    Tramontana, the redshirt freshman, faced three batters before getting the third out of the frame, but the first two proved costly. He hit The Herd’s RF Calin Smith, then gave up a 2-run single to AJ Havrilla before getting 1B Caden Kaiser to ground out to second and bring the inning to a close.

    Righthander Zach Lewis, a redshirt sophomore, pitched the final two innings and was the pitcher of record when App State exploded for six runs in the 8th, giving Lewis is third win of the season.

    App State hosts Marshall in the third game of the weekend series on Saturday, March 30, with first pitch at 1 p.m.

    TOP PERFORMERS

    • APP – Banks Tolley: 3-5, 2 runs scored, 4 RBIs, 2 HRs
    • APP – Drew Holderbach: 2-3, 2 runs scored, 3 RBIs, 2B, HR, twice hit by pitch
    • APP – Joseph Zamora: 3-4, 2 runs scored, 3 RBIs, 2B, 3B
    • APP – Braxton Church: 1-3, 2 runs scored, 2 walks
    • APP – Adam Quintero: 2-5, 2 runs scored, 1 RBI
    • APP – Kameron Miller: 1-4, 1 run scored, 1 RBI, HR, hit by pitch
    • APP – Austin St. Laurent: 1-6, 2 runs scored, 1 RBI
    • MAR – Owen Ayers: 3-4, 2 runs scored, 1 RBI, SF
    • MAR – Gio Ferraro: 2-5, 1 run scored, 1 RBI, 2B
    • MAR – AJ Havrilla: 2-3, 1 run scored, 2 RBIs. walk
    • MAR – Jack Firestone: 3-4, 1 run scored, 3 RBIs, walk

    BONUS PHOTOS by David Rogers for High Country Sports

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  • Yikes, Yikes and More Yikes – Eight Mountaineer men’s basketball players enter transfer portal

    By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Just when AppNation thought the future looked bright for the Mountaineers’ men’s basketball program after an historic 2023-24 season and regular season Sun Belt Conference championship, we learned today via X (formerly Twitter) that App State big men Tre’Von Spillers and Justin Abson are entering the transfer portal, along with freshman guards Jordan Marsh and Etienne Strothers.

    Both Abson and Spillers contributed to App State being ranked No. 1 in NCAA Division 1 blocked shots per game. Young Marsh most often provided a spark in coming off the bench. Strothers didn’t see much, if any, action this past season but came to the Mountaineers with a strong pedigree.

    QUESTIONS: Who else might be jumping ship? Is it all for NIL money? Higher exposure playing with a Big 10, SEC, Big East, ACC, or Big 12 team? What is head coach Dustin Kerns’ status?

    The answer to that first question is Christopher Mantis, Terence Harcum and Xavion Brown as well as 6-9 freshman forward Josh Hayes, according to our sources close to the program.

    When you subtract graduating players that include Donovan Gregory, C J Huntley and Bryant Greene, that leaves junior guard Myles Tate as the only athlete from this season’s 9-man rotation, plus 6-9 freshman center Luke Wilson, freshman guard Luke Ledford, and sophomore guard Dawson Fennema on the roster.

    Assuming head coach Dustin Kerns and staff are staying, they will be busy in the coming weeks trying to pluck replacements from the transfer portal and even more aggressively recruiting from among the graduating high school seniors.

    Freshman guard Jordan Marsh handles the ball at the top of the key on Nov. 26 vs. Austin Peay at the Holmes Convocation Center. Photographic image by David Rogers
    FILE PHOTO. Tre’Von Spillers with a slam on Dec. 5 against Central Penn. Photographic image by David Rogers

  • Merciless? Pioneers manufacture 15 runs in first inning at Freedom before taking a 16-6 run-rule win

    By David Rogers. MORGANTON, N.C. — Don’t let it be said that Watauga’s varsity baseball team fell asleep at the starting gate on March 28. Not after the Pioneers jumped on Freedom for 15 runs in the top half of the first inning en route to a convincing, 16-6 3A/4A Northwestern Conference win that was run-rule complete after five innings.

    For Watauga, the opening frame was an exercise in patience and power.

    After Jameson Hodges sliced a hard ground ball that Freedom’s third baseman couldn’t keep in play, for a single, Evan Burroughs worked the count full, to 3-2, watched Hodges steal second base, then finally drawing a walk on the seventh pitch of his at-bat. Maddox Greene drew a 4-pitch walk to load the bases, setting up Cooper Critcher for his first RBI single of the night, a sharp line drive to left that scored Hodges and Burroughs.

    J T Cook followed with more patience at the plate, walking after just five pitches to put runners on first and second. Head coach Mike Windish used courtesy runners for both Critcher and Cook, inserting Dillon Zaragoza and Cade Keller, respectively, to run the basepaths.  That proved fruitful as Jake Blanton stepped to the plate, worked the count to a full 3-2 before ripping a double to a gap in left field to score Watauga’s third and fourth runs in Greene and Zaragoza off of Freedom starting pitcher, junior Kyle Self.

    For the Pioneer batters, the first inning was an exercise in patience and power.

    Self began to work himself out of the jam with two bookend strikeouts around yet another walk with the next three Pioneer batters: Jake Henderson (strikeout), David Pastusic (walk), and Hank Matthews (strikeout).

    But in getting back to the top of the batting order, Watauga wasn’t done, not by a longshot.

    Appearing for the second time in the frame, Hodges was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, scoring Keller, and keeping the based loaded with Blanton sauntering over to third and Pastusic to second.

    In his second trip to the plate in the first inning, Burroughs looked at three straight balls to open the at-bat, then looked at two strikes, before lining a single to right, scoring Blanton and Pastusic.

    Now, with two outs and a 7-0 lead, it turned out that Watauga wasn’t even halfway there in terms of first inning run production.

    In his second year as the Patriots’ head coach, Tyler Hackett had seen enough of Self’s rocky start and hoped that freshman hurler Luke Miller could stop the hemorrhaging on the mound.

    Even with two outs, the Pioneers weren’t quite halfway done with their first inning run production.

    It probably wasn’t the mound performance Hackett was looking for after Burroughs stole second base and Greene drew his second walk of the inning and the Pioneer hit parade kept singing.

    Critcher laced a single through the infield to center, scoring Hodges and Burroughs to make it 9-0. Then Cook singled through the infield to left, scoring Greene and courtesy runner Zaragoza, bringing the score to 11-0.

    On the mound, Miller couldn’t catch a break. He walked Blanton on a 3-2 full count, gave up a line drive single to Henderson that was compounded by a centerfielder error, allowing Blanton to score and courtesy runner Keller to score.

    Even after leading 13-0, the Pioneers still had some work to do. Pastusic reached base on an error by the third baseman. Matthews walked to load the bases again. Henderson scampered home on a wild pitch that flew past the catcher to the backstop before Hodges, on his third trip to plate in the first inning, singled to left, scoring Pastusic for what proved to be the final run of the wild Watauga opening, 15-0. Almost mercifully, Burroughs lined out to the shortstop to end the carnage.

    Watauga scored another run in the top of third and Freedom manufactured six runs, three each in the third and fourth innings, but with a 15-run first inning of work by the Pioneers, this story was all but written.

    Some highlight extras included the return of J T Cook to the mound as the Pioneers’ starter. He worked the first two innings, intentionally on a limited pitch count, giving up one hit, no runs, striking out one and walking one over an efficient 32 pitches.

    Now at 8-2 overall and 3-1 in Northwestern Conference play, the Pioneers have some time off over Easter before returning to the diamond on April 9 to host High Country rival, Ashe County. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., following the junior varsity game.

    Freedom (3-7, 0-3) travels to Ashe County (7-5, 0-3) on March 29, one of the teams assured of a first conference win.

    TOP PERFORMERS

      • WAT – Cooper Critcher: 2-3, scored 2 runs, 4 RBIs
      • WAT – Jameson Hodges: 2-3, scored 2 runs, 2 RBIs, 1 stolen base
      • WAT – Jake Blanton: 1-2, 2 runs scored, 2 RBIs, 2B, 1 walk
      • WAT – J T Cook: 2-3, 2 RBIs, 1 walk, winning pitcher
      • WAT – Maddox Greene: 2-4, 2 runs scored, 2 walks
      • WAT – Evan Burroughs: 1-3, 2 runs scored, 2 RBIs, 1 walk, 1 stolen base
      • WAT – David Pastusic: 1-3, 2 runs scored, 1 walk