SAN MARCOS, TEXAS – App State grabbed a 4-0 advantage early, but were unable to keep pace with the offense of Texas State on Saturday, falling 17-7 in seven innings at Bobcat Ballpark.
Leading 2-0 in the second inning,
Austin St. Laurent and
Xavier Moronta hit back-to-back home runs to push the App State advantage to 4-0.
CJ Boyd later added his seventh home run of the season, but all three long balls from the Mountaineers (11-6, 0-2) were solo shots.
Batting one through three in the Mountaineers' order, Boyd, St. Laurent and Moronta combined to tally six hits, score five runs and drive in five runs for the App State offense.
Meanwhile, Texas State (11-8, 2-0) responded with three home runs in an eight-run bottom of the second inning. Daylan Pena homered twice in the inning and blasted three home runs in the ballgame for the Bobcats. Texas State finished the contest with 17 hits, including four round-trippers.
Texas State scored at least a run in every inning after the first, ultimately securing a run rule walk-off win on a bases loaded walk in the bottom of the seventh.
App State will look to salvage the finale of the series on Sunday, as
Dante Chirico will make the start, in a contest slated for 2 p.m. ET.
The 2024 App State Baseball season is presented by Chick-fil-A.
