JONESBORO, Ark. – A ninth inning wild pitch allowed the winning run to score as Appalachian State University baseball fell in its series finale to Arkansas State, 7-6, on Sunday afternoon at Kell Field at Tomlinson Stadium.

The Red Wolves(18-23, 7-16 Sun Belt) got off to a fast start, plating two runs before Mountaineer staring pitcher, Jeffrey Springs, recorded his first out. A-State went on to score four runs on five hits in the first inning to open up an early lead over the Mountaineers (13-31, 5-18 Sun Belt). Springs would settle in and strike out eight Red Wolves in five innings.

Appalachian would get a run back in the second after Dillon Dobson and Drake Zupcic hit back-to-back singles. A Noah Holmes fly out advanced the runners into scoring position. A-State starting pitcher, Jon Glidewell, then tossed a ball that got past his catcher, allowing Dobson to score on the wild pitch.

After a scoreless third and fourth, the Mountaineers went to work in the fifth. Holmes drew a lead-off walk followed by Matt Brill smashing a two-run homer to dead center field. The home run was Brill's first of the season and the fifth of his career. Later in the inning Conner Leonard stepped up to the plate with two men on after Glidewell hit Zach Hummel and walked Brandon Burris. Leonard launched the second pitch he saw to left center field for a three-run home run that gave Appalachian a 6-4 lead.

A-State would chip away to tie the ballgame at six apiece with a run in the bottom of the fifth on Lucas Fedderson's RBI single and then a solo home run in the seventh that bounced off the scoreboard in right field.

With a tie game in the ninth, Reed Howell walked the first batter, who then advanced on a sacrfice bunt. A fielding error by Holmes put runners at the corners with one out. Caleb McCann, who earned to save in yesterday's game two, entered the game and was attempting to intentionally walk Ty Michelotti, but threw the ball away and was unable to cover the plate before the run scored form third.

The loss marked the sixth time this season that the Mountaineers lost a Sun Belt road game in walk-off fashion.

The Mountaineers will be back in action on Tuesday when they head to Blacksburg, Va. for a matchup with Virginia Tech.