by CORY WATSON
Sports Reporter

Engel Stadium has been visited by some of baseball’s greatest players.

Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Jackie Robinson and Hank Aaron have all played within its 78-year-old grounds.

Last weekend, the Appalachian State University club baseball team joined them in history by winning the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Fall Invitational Tournament held in Chattanooga, Tenn.

The Mountaineers won each of their four games in the tournament with three of their victories coming by single-run margins.

Club president and junior management major R. Bryan Holbrook said it meant a lot that his team was able to win in such a close fashion.

“It seems like we’ve had a lot of close games that we’ve lost,” Holbrook said.

Holbrook was referring to two close losses last spring to then No. 4 University of Indiana in extra innings and then No. 12 University of Pittsburgh.

Last weekend, Appalachian was able to make the jump needed to win in close games.

“Everybody finally wanted it at the same time,” sophomore biology major Nick L. Vaughn said.

The Mountaineers had contributions from nearly everyone on the team to help seal the tournament championship.

Freshman business education major Hunter D. Glass had a walk-off single in the seventh inning against Ohio University to drive in freshman marketing major

Stephen M. Weavil for a 7-6 victory in the first game..

In the second game, Appalachian had a strong contribution from Ben J. Wilson, a sophomore building sciences major.

Wilson pitched five innings for the black and gold, striking out seven batters and giving up only one run to help push the Mountaineers to a 2-1 victory over Tulane University.

The third game was the only game that didn’t come down to the wire for Appalachian.

The Mountaineers received solid pitching from Mike J. DeMeo, who struck out five batters in 3 2/3 innings while allowing only one run in a 7-2 victory over Middle Tennessee State University.

In a fitting final game of the tournament, Appalachian went to extra innings against Ohio University.

Kyle R. Milbert, a senior elementary education major, played a major role in the win.

He posted impressive numbers, going 2-5 at the plate with a double and also picking up the win on the mound for the Mountaineers by striking out five batters in 2 2/3 innings. He surrendered only one run.

But Milbert’s most important contribution of the day came at the plate.

With two outs in the last inning, Milbert was facing a 2-2 count with the bases loaded. Milbert made contact with the next pitch, scoring two runs on a game-winning single to right field in the eighth inning.

“It was like being a kid again,” Milbert said. “That’s the kind of situation you dream of.

To do it at a field like that where people like Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig have been, it just puts it all together.”

Appalachian also received a solid effort from Vaughn, who pitched for three innings, also surrendering only one run in the 6-5 victory.

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