CSU wins non-conference bout with App State, 5-3

Nino Fasulo gets his first collegiate win in six innings of shutout work.

BOONE, N.C. - Starting pitcher Nino Fasulo held Appalachian State University scoreless over the first six innings of the afternoon and allowed Charleston Southern to build a five-run cushion en route to a 5-3 victory. Fasulo gave up gave up six hits and survived a bases-loaded jam unscathed in the sixth before giving way to the CSU bullpen.

The Mountaineers (12-35) mustered a rally against the Buccaneer bullpen, but came up shy with two men on in the bottom of the eighth inning. The first five batters of the frame reached base safely, with Graham Thompson’s single to right field driving home Derek Smith and Eric Pittman. An RBI single by Clint Johns plated Tim Johnson to allow the Mountaineers to narrow the gap to two runs, at 5-3. After a sacrifice bunt put two runners in scoring position with one out, Buccaneer reliever Brad Bissell retired the next two batters to stop the threat.

Charleston Southern (18-34) found its way into the scoring column first, with three runs in the fourth inning. Brandon Massey opened the inning with a double. Following a deep fly out moved him to third, a sacrifice fly allowed Massey to come home for the first run of the day. With two outs, Michael Blankenship singled and William Dalton doubled to put runners in scoring position for Jordan Haar. Haar responded with a two-run single to make the Charleston Southern lead 3-0.

After halting a bases-loaded threat in the bottom of the sixth, Charleston Southern padded its advantage with two runs in the seventh inning. Jeff Kolhagen led off the inning with a solo home run over the left-center field fence to make it a 4-0 game. Massey followed with a single to right-center and moved to second on Scott Thacker’s base hit. Massey, who finished the day 3-for-5, with two runs scored, stretched the margin to 5-0 when he crossed the plate on Blankenship’s second single of the afternoon.

After shutting down Appalachian in the seventh inning, Jimmy Trenor was chased from the mound in the eighth in favor of Bissell. Bissell, who inherited two runners on base, garnered his second save of the season. Fasulo improved to 1-6 on the year with the win.

Appalachian’s starter, David Batten gave up two hits over the first two innings before giving way to the home side’s bullpen. Thomas Krasnor (0-1) allowed three runs on five hits and suffered his first loss of the season. Andrew Kline quieted the visiting bats in the fifth and sixth, yielding three hits and striking out two. Dusty Blake gave up two runs on four hits in the seventh. Steve Martin retired one batter and allowed two to reach base before Monty Fast came in to work the final inning and two-thirds.

Five different Mountaineers recorded two hits apiece in the losing effort. The Buccaneers and Apps combined to leave 24 runners on base, with the visitors stranding 13 and the Mountaineers leaving 11.

Charleston Southern moves on to face SoCon opponent Furman on Friday.