CHARLOTTE, N.C. –
Hayden Cross and
Hunter Bryson each drilled home runs for the Mountaineers, but App State stranded 11 runners on base in a 9-3 loss to Charlotte at Hayes Stadium.
Trailing 2-0 in the second inning, Cross led off the frame with a solo homer to right field, his first of the season. The Mountaineers (5-7) continued to rally.
Austin St. Laurent followed with a single, and following a fielder's choice and a throwing error,
Luke Drumheller ripped an RBI single to tie the score at 2-2.
Cross tallied his third consecutive multi-hit game and fifth overall this season for App State.
Charlotte (9-4) responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second to re-gain the lead, which they would hold the rest of the way. Charlotte would add on with a pair of runs in the fifth and sixth innings.
App State got a run back in the top of the sixth, when Bryson led off the frame with a no-doubt home run to left field, the freshman's fourth in just 12 games this season.
App State brought the tying or go-ahead run to the plate multiple times in the middle innings, including in the fifth to force the 49ers to dip into their bullpen, but ultimately the Mountaineers were unable to come up with the big hit they needed, going 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position.
Tyler Tuthill suffered the loss for App State despite striking out six in five innings of work. He yielded six runs on nine hits.
The Mountaineers will look to draw even in the series Saturday afternoon when they send right-hander
Xander Hamilton to the mound with first pitch slated for 2 p.m. at Hayes Stadium. The game will be broadcast on CUSA.tv.
The 2022 App State Baseball season is presented by Chick-fil-A.
