March 4, 2005

Box Score

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Jonathan Reeder pitched 7 2/3 innings of strong baseball to lead Appalachian State to 5-3 win over Furman in the Southern Conference season opener for both teams Friday evening at Furman Stadium.

Reeder (1-3), a sophomore from Matthews, N.C., scattered eight hits, struck out five, and walked only one while yielding three earned runs in earning his first win of the season. Julian Brown and Brooks Haislip, meanwhile, belted solo home runs and Brad Peisel delivered a two-run double to pace a 10-hit attack by Appalachian State (3-9, 1-0 SoCon).

Reeder's solid work and the Mountaineers' two home runs helped ASU overcome a career high 13-strikeout performance by Furman senior righthander Sam Perry (1-2), who worked 7.0 innings before leaving the contest with his team trailing 4-1.

Furman (3-6, 0-1 SoCon) also collected 10 hits in the contest, including two each by Andrew Greene and Joe Daysh.

Appalachian State touched up Perry for two runs in the fourth when Brown led off with a home run to left field and Haislip followed with a one-out clout to left center.

The Mountaineers increased their lead to 4-0 in the fifth when Peisel doubled to right center with two outs to score Joey Robinson and Chris Baker.

Furman scratched for a run in the fifth after Tony Maccanni doubled to lead off the frame, advanced to third on a ground out, and came home after Mountaineer first baseman Haislip's throw to third skipped past the bag and third baseman Luis Acre interfered with Mccanni.

The Paladins sliced Appalachian State's advantage to 4-3 with a pair of runs in the eighth inning. With two out, Case Cassedy singled and scored on Matthew Betsill's double off the right centerfield fence. Betstill came home on Nick Wajda's pinch hit single. After Joe Daysh singled to put runners at first and second, Mountaineer reliever Josh Fish induced Maccanni into a ground out to end the threat.

Appalachian State added an insurance run in the top of the ninth after Travis Hunnicutt singled to lead off, advanced to second on a sacrifice, and came home on Robinson' single to right field off Paladin reliever David Mitchell.

Fish retired the Paladins in order in the ninth to record his first save of the season.

The two teams play game two of the three-game series on Saturday beginning at 6:00 p.m.