CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Despite leading 4-3 after five-and-a-half innings of play, App State was unable to hold it, as Queens scored three runs in the sixth and three in the eighth to defeat the Mountaineers, 10-4, at Truist Field.
Trailing 2-0 in the top of the fourth inning, App State grabbed their first lead of the ballgame.
Golston Gillespie and
Hayden Cross worked back-to-back walks to begin the inning, and
CJ Boyd loaded the bases with a bunt single.
Braxton Church plated the first run of the inning with a sac fly to center field, and later in the frame, a Queens error on a ground ball to second base allowed two more runs to score, putting the Mountaineers ahead, 3-2.
App State (13-10, 4-2) grabbed a 4-3 lead in the top of the sixth inning when
Xavier Moronta ripped an RBI single to center field, plating
Hunter Wilder, who walked to lead off the frame. Moronta led the Mountaineers with two hits in the ballgame.
The Mountaineers however were limited to just five hits in the contest, and went just 2-for-14 with runners on base.
Eli Ellington made his first start of the season, striking out six batters in 2.2 innings of work.
Jake Beaty,
Collin Welch, and
Dante Chirico combined to fan five more Royals in the ballgame.
Nick Brassington paced the Royals with a four-hit ballgame, and JD Coleman dealt the final blow with a bases clearing double in the eighth.
App State will continue their road trip this weekend in Lafayette, La., where they will face off with the Ragin' Cajuns in a three-game series. The opener on Friday is set for 7 p.m., with first pitch on Saturday slated for 5 p.m. The series concludes on Sunday with first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m. All three games will be broadcast on ESPN+.
