MarshallÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s Maika Niu (3) returns to the dugout as the Marshall University baseball team takes on Appalachian State on Friday, April 11, 2025, at Jack Cook Field in Huntington.
Appalachian State's Caleb Cross (37), left, pitches to Marshall's Ethan Murdoch (34) as the Marshall University baseball team takes on Appalachian State on Friday, April 11, 2025, at Jack Cook Field in Huntington.
Appalachian State's Juan Correra (42) approaches third base as the Marshall University baseball team takes on Appalachian State on Friday, April 11, 2025, at Jack Cook Field in Huntington.
MarshallÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s AJ Havrilla (23), left, watches the pitch alongside Appalachian State first baseman Juan Correra (42) as the Marshall University baseball team takes on Appalachian State on Friday, April 11, 2025, at Jack Cook Field in Huntington.
MarshallÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s Maika Niu (3) returns to the dugout as the Marshall University baseball team takes on Appalachian State on Friday, April 11, 2025, at Jack Cook Field in Huntington.
Appalachian State's Caleb Cross (37), left, pitches to Marshall's Ethan Murdoch (34) as the Marshall University baseball team takes on Appalachian State on Friday, April 11, 2025, at Jack Cook Field in Huntington.
Appalachian State's Juan Correra (42) approaches third base as the Marshall University baseball team takes on Appalachian State on Friday, April 11, 2025, at Jack Cook Field in Huntington.
MarshallÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s AJ Havrilla (23), left, watches the pitch alongside Appalachian State first baseman Juan Correra (42) as the Marshall University baseball team takes on Appalachian State on Friday, April 11, 2025, at Jack Cook Field in Huntington.
HUNTINGTON -- Both teams smacked seven hits, but the results were anything but equal.
Appalachian State (18-15, 8-5 Sun Belt Conference) did more with its seven knocks than Marshall (17-17, 5-8) did with its seven in a 6-0 Mountaineers baseball victory on Friday at Jack Cook Field.
"That's what I told our guys, we didn't play a bad game tonight," Thundering Herd coach Greg Beals said. "They hit some balls in the right spot at the right time. The ball carried that way when they hit them. We hit a lot of balls hard. I though we outhit them on the hard-hit balls. It's hard to say when you lose 6-0 you outhit a team, but we actually outhit them."
Beals counted 14 hard-hit balls among Marshall's totals. Two the Mountaineers hit hard, though, were difference-makers.
Jonathan Xuereb led off the third inning with a home run to right field. Four batters later, Kameron Miller smacked a two-run homer to right and Appalachian State led 3-0.
The Mountaineers continued the right stuff in the fourth. Juan Correa doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly to right by Tyler Figueroa.
Appalachian State tacked on two runs in the eighth without benefit of a base hit, combining two hit batters, an error, a pitch clock violation and a pair of walks to set the score.
"I thought we let the scoreboard affect our mojo a little bit," Beals said. "We were hitting balls hard at guys. We hit it at them a few times. They made some really good plays. We hit them into the teeth of the wind. It was not our night. I'm not upset with how we played at all."
Beals complimented Mountaineers pitcher Caleb Cross (5-1), who struck out four and walked one to earn the win.
Tyler Lichtenberger went 2 for 3 for Appalachian State. Elijah Vogelsong was 2 for 3 and Cam Harthan went 2 for 4 for Marshall.
Bryce Blevins took the loss, allowing six runs, four earned, with four strikeouts and one walk in 7 1/3 innings. Peyton Jackson pitched the final 1 2/3 innings and allowed no hits, fanning three and walking one.
"Peyton Jackson's a freshman and it's great getting him opportunities in big conference games and situations and seeing him have the success he did," Beals said. "He's got a bright future for us."
The Herd and Mountaineers meet again at 5 p.m. Saturday before playing the series finale at 1 p.m. Sunday.
APPALACHIAN STATE 003 100 020 -- 6 7 1
MARSHALL 000 000 000 -- 0 7 1
Cross and Church; Blevins, Jackson (8) and Wilson.
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