By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Another game against No. 16 nationally ranked Coastal Carolina, another loss — but a lot to like in the narrow, 8-7 defeat.

Although the visiting Chanticleers swept the season-opening Sun Belt series from the Mountaineers, App State made them work for it in each of the three games. In Game 1, starting pitcher Nick DiRito shutout Coastal Carolina for five innings before giving up a pair of runs in inning No. 6. The Chanticleer batters pounced on three Mountaineer relievers for eight more runs the rest of the way while App State’s offense couldn’t produce anything until six runs in the seventh and eighth innings.

On March 14, another strong pitching performance from Mountaineer starter Gage Peterson (seven innings pitched, no runs on 2 hits, with nine strikeouts) could not hold up even after App State drew the proverbial first blood with four runs in innings No. 3 and No. 4. After Peterson’s departure (102 pitches facing 25 batters), Coastal Carolina’s batters touched up the Mountaineer relievers for seven runs in the eighth and ninth innings to win going away.

Then, in the finale, the Mountaineers again jumped out to an early 4-0 lead, ignited by leadoff hitter Nico Soul’s solo home run on the first pitch in the bottom half of the first inning. A 2-RBI single by Jalen Seward, and an RBi-producing bunt single by Charlie Evans followed Soul’s opening dinger, giving hope to the nearly 500 mostly App State baseball fans braving the cold and rain that this day might have a different outcome.

But it wasn’t to be. Starting pitcher Tanner Nolan went three scoreless innings until being chased by Coastal’s four runs scored in the top of inning No. 4.  Reliever Everette Harris retired the last two batters in the inning on just three pitches with no more damage, but four more Mountaineer relievers went the rest of the way, giving up four more runs on four hits. Of the four, only the last one, Reyn Watson, emerged from the fray unscathed, giving up just one hit.

After App State added a run in the third inning (highlighted by Ethan Puig’s leadoff double) to take a 5-0 lead, CCU narrowed the deficit with four runs in the top of the fourth inning, capitalizing on three consecutive batters hit by a pitch off the arm of starter Nolan. After walking in a run and giving up a 2-RBI single to Coastal’s Ty Barrango, Nolan was sent to the showers and replaced on the mound by Harris.

The Chanticleers went ahead, 7-5, with three runs in the sixth inning, jumpstarted by Brice Estep’s leadoff blast over the left field fence. The Mountaineers responded with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the frame. After retiring the first two App State batters, the Chanticleers’ Daniel Parker gave up back-to-back singles to Steven Smith and Riley Luft before Puig doubled down the right field line, driving in Smith and Luft to tie the game at 7-7.

In the top of the 8th inning, reliever Cal Clark hit Coastal Carolina’s first batter, Trace Mazon, who scored what proved to be CCU’s winning run two batters later on a single by Walker Mitchell.

The winning pitcher was Coastal Carolina’s Colby Richardson and App State’s Clark was credited with the loss. Although the visitors won the game, 8-7, the Mountaineers outhit the Chanticleers, 11-9. Both teams recorded an error.

But there were two other telling game stats: Mountaineer pitchers hit a whopping six Chanticleer batters. Also, Coastal Carolina was more aggressive on the basepaths, putting runners in scoring position with two stolen bases.

With the loss, App State falls to 0-3 in Sun Belt Conference play, 10-9 overall. Coastal Carolina starts league play with an unblemished, 3-0 in Sun Belt record, 13-6 overall.

The Chanticleers will look to extend their winning streak on Wednesday, March 18, in Buies Creek, N.C., with a 1-game, non-conference tilt at Campbell University.

App State will travel to High Point on Tuesday, March 17, before moving on to Norfolk, Va. for a Sun Belt Conference series at Old Dominion.

Key Performers on March 15

• APP – Ethan Puig: 3-5, 2 runs scored, 2 RBIs, 2B (2)
• APP – Nico Soul: 1-5, 1 run scored, 1 RBI, HR
• APP – Riley Luft: 2-5, 2 runs scored
• APP – Tank Yaghoubi: 1-2, 1 run scored, 2 walks, 1 sacrifice hit
• APP – Jalen Seward: 1-3, 3 RBIs, 1 sacrifice hit, HBP
• APP – Steven Smith: 1-5, 1 run scored
• CCU – Trace Mazon: 0-4, 2 runs scored, HBP
• CCU – Walker Mitchell: 4-5, 1 run scored, 2 RBIs, SB
• CCU – Blagen Pado: 1-2, 1 run scored, 2B, 1 walk, 2 HBP, SB
• CCU – Brice Estep: 1-3, 1 run scored, 2 RBIs, HR. 1 walk, HBP
• CCU – Ty Barrango: 3-5, 1 run scored, 2 RBIs,

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Starting pitcher Gage Peterson threw seven shutout innings against Coastal Carolina on March 14, allowing just two hits while walking two and striking out nine Chanticleer batters. Meanwhile, App State’s offense jumped out to a 4-0 lead after those seven innings — but it was all for naught as the visitors from Conway, S.C. jumped on the Mountaineers’ relievers in their final two at-bats to take Game 2 of the weekend series, 7-4.

It was a tale of opposite trends in front of a big Smith Stadium crowd of 1,119 fans on a bright and sunny baseball-perfect day. Ranked No. 16 in the nation, the visiting Chanticleers were held scoreless against Petersen while the Mountaineers were manufacturing runs through those first seven innings. In innings No. 8 and No. 9, however, App State was able to get only one runner on base in each of the final two innings while Coastal ripped four consecutive, 2-out singles to manufacture three runs in the eighth inning, narrowing the deficit to just a single run going into the final frame. Then they scored four runs in the top of the ninth, capped off by a 2-RBI home run off the bat of Trace Mazon, on a 3-2 pitch to account for the game’s final scoring.

Ryan Lynch (1-0), Coastal Carolina’s fourth pitcher in the contest, was on the mound when the Chanticleers tied the game and went ahead, so was credited as the winning pitcher. Teammate Scott Doran earned his first save. App State reliever Max Tramontana (1-1) picked up the loss.

App State and Coastal Carolina will meet in Game 3 of the weekend series on March 15, with first pitch rescheduled for 11 a.m.

Key Game 2 Performers

• CCU – Dean Mihos: 3-5, 2 runs scored, 1 RBI, SB
• CCU – Trace Mazon: 2-4, 2 runs scored, 3 RBIs, HR, SB
• APP – Colton Denton: 2-4, 1 RBI, 2B
• APP – Nico Soul: 1-4, 1 run scored, 1 RBI, 1HBP, SB
• APP – Jalen Seward: 1-4, 1 run scored, 2B
• APP – Charlie Evans: 1-4, 1 run scored
• APP – Riley Luft: 1-4, 1 run scored
• APP – Ethan Puig: 1-5, 1 RBI

By Jacob Plecker SAN MARCOS, Texas — Leading by one with just under two minutes to play, the App State men’s basketball team looked for one last stop to try and secure a win and a Sun Belt regular-season championship. But Texas State guard Mark Drone buried a tough jumper from the right elbow to take the lead, which helped Texas State earn a crucial, 60-57 win on its home floor.

The Mountaineers (19-12, 11-7 SBC) generated a wide-open look to try and take the lead with two seconds to play in regulation, but a corner 3-pointer from Eren Banks wouldn’t fall. Texas State (19-12, 11-7 SBC) grabbed the board and secured the victory at the other end with a pair of free throws.

With the loss, the Mountaineers will enter the Sun Belt Tournament as the No. 4 seed, meaning they will play the winner of Game 7 on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. ET (5:30 p.m. CT). This marks App State’s third-highest seed at the tournament in the Dustin Kerns era.

App State started the game with momentum, embarking on a 17-8 run from the get-go, but Texas State regrouped and eventually took the lead at halftime. This continued into the second half as the Bobcats went ahead by as many as six points in the final 20 minutes. Although App State jumped ahead by four points with 5:08 to play in the second half, another crucial Texas State run, this one a 7-0 run, helped it take a three-point lead with less than a minute to play.

How it Happened

Despite Texas State scoring the game’s first points on a jumper from Drone, the Mountaineers wasted no time answering and jumped ahead by nine points thanks to an 11-0 run. Jalen Tot spearheaded the flurry with a four-point play before Luke Wilson and Michael Marcus Jr. capped off the run with dunks.

Texas State ended the run with a free throw and a layup, but App State jumped back ahead by nine points with 12:35 to play with another run. Alonzo Dodd was the catalyst during this spurt, as he totaled four points on back-to-back possessions.

Seeing their deficit balloon back up to nine, the Bobcats went to work and cut App State’s lead back down to four with less than 10 minutes to play. The Bobcats eventually tied the score with 4:48 to play in the first half, but the Mountaineers totaled four straight points, with the help of a Kasen Jennings three, to go back ahead by four by the final media timeout.

Although App State led with four minutes to go, the Bobcats ended the half strong and took a one-point lead into the halftime locker room. A Jonah Bolden 3-pointer, Texas State’s second three of the first half, helped send the large home crowd into a frenzy as the buzzer sounded.

A Wilson layup in the paint kick-started the second half and pushed the Mountaineers back ahead by a point. This was followed by a Tot 3-pointer to push App State back ahead by three, but Texas State responded with nine straight points to storm ahead by six as play hit the under-12 media timeout.

Seeing their largest deficit of the game, the Mountaineers looked for an answer and found it as Dodd and Marcus Jr. brought the score within one with 11 minutes to play. This helped spark a 6-3 spurt for App State, which gave it a one-point lead by the under-eight timeout. Another layup by Dodd pushed App State ahead 50-49 as play crept toward the home stretch.

App State’s one-point lead grew to four thanks to a Tot top-of-the-key 3-pointer. As play hit the under-four timeout with Texas State trailing by four, it looked like the Mountaineers were going to leave San Marcos with a win. This momentum was short-lived, however, as the Bobcats generated momentum of their own on their home floor, which helped them close the game strong.

The Bobcats used a DJ Hall jumper to jump-start a clutch 7-0 run that propelled them ahead by three points with just 38 seconds to play. App State finally ended the run with a Dodd layup to make the score 58-57 with 26 seconds to go in regulation. Then, Texas State missed the front end of a one-and-one, which gave the Mountaineers one last chance to take the lead in San Marcos.

With the ball in Dodd’s hands, he drove left toward the basket and found a wide-open Banks in the corner. Banks lined up his shot and fired, but it fell off the back iron. The rebound fell into Texas State’s hands, and the Bobcats sank two free throws on the other end to go ahead by three with a second left. Needing a quick 3-pointer to force overtime, the Mountaineers got a clean look from Jennings, but his shot fell short, and Texas State claimed the win on its home floor.

Top Performers

Tot and Dodd each led the way for the Mountaineers on offense, tallying 15 points apiece. Tot drilled a team-best three 3-pointers, while Dodd also recorded seven rebounds and two assists against the Bobcats. Wilson also eclipsed double figures against Texas State, while also recording his team-best 11th double-double of the season with 11 rebounds.

Up Next

The Sun Belt Tournament in Pensacola, Fla., awaits App State next. The Mountaineers have earned the fourth seed at the tournament and will play on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. ET (5:30 p.m. CT) against the winner of Game 7. All games at the Sun Belt Tournament will be broadcast on ESPN+, with the exception of the championship game, which will be broadcast on ESPN or ESPN2.

BOX SCORE

https://appstatesports.com/documents/2026/2/27/2715076.PDF

By Jacob Plecker. KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Despite holding a one-run lead through the first four innings against No. 1 Tennessee after a Makayla McClain lead-off home run, the App State softball team couldn’t quite pull off the upset as the Volunteers rallied for six in the fifth inning to take the lead before claiming a 9-1 win. This capped off a doubleheader split for the Mountaineers, as they took down the North Carolina Central Eagles, 9-0, in five innings to open the day.

Along with her lead-off home run against the top-ranked Volunteers (15-0), McClain drove home four runs on Friday, which included a three-RBI game against N.C. Central (1-14). McClain’s home run against Tennessee’s Erin Nuwer was the first run that she has allowed all season. Additionally, Julia Girk posted a near-perfect day at the dish with three hits in four at-bats and two runs scored across the doubleheader.

Although she took the loss against the Volunteers, freshman pitcher Camryn Fisher pitched very well in her start for App State (12-3) in game two. Fisher held an offense that came into the contest averaging just over eight runs a game, scoreless through four innings. Fisher struck out four batters and didn’t allow an earned run in the game.

App State’s staff pitched well as a whole on Friday, as Sophie Moshos kicked off the doubleheader with a complete-game shutout against N.C. Central in five innings. Moshos allowed just two hits and two baserunners in the game. The Mountaineers’ pitchers allowed just three earned runs for the day.

How it Happened

App State 9, N.C. Central 0 (5 Innings)

It wasn’t the fastest of starts for either team to open the doubleheader as both App State and N.C. Central were held scoreless in the first inning. The Eagles were able to retire the Mountaineers in order in the top of the second and recorded the game’s first hit in the bottom of the inning, but Moshos induced a flyout and a strikeout to end the inning.

The Mountaineers opened the scoring quickly in the third inning thanks to a lead-off triple by Girk and an RBI groundout from McClain. Following the RBI, Grace Barrett singled into left field, and Madison Fletcher doubled her home, which immediately gave App State a 2-0 lead as play entered the bottom of the third inning.

Moshos sat down N.C. Central in order in the third inning, and App State broke the game open with a five-run fourth inning to take a 7-0 lead. Emilie Ching started the inning with a single before back-to-back singles by Marti Henkel and Girk loaded the bases with one out for McClain. Facing an 0-2 count, the Liberty, N.C., native smashed a double off the center-field wall that scored all three runners to make the score 5-0 with one out in the fourth.

McClain scored easily on a wild pitch to plate App State’s sixth run, but the Mountaineers still weren’t done as Barrett and Taylor Schafer reached to put runners on the corners for Fletcher. Fletcher produced a fly ball into right that was caught, but it was plenty deep enough to score Barrett from third, which pushed App State’s lead to seven.

App State worked around a lead-off N.C. Central single in the fourth inning to keep its lead, before scoring two more runs in the fifth to take a 9-0 advantage. Needing just three more outs to finish what she started, Moshos used just six pitches to get out of the fifth, which secured App State’s 12th win of the season.

BOX SCORE: https://appstatesports.com/documents/2026/2/27/App14.pdf

App State 1, No. 1 Tennessee 9 (6 Innings)

Facing a 3-2 count against a pitcher who hadn’t allowed an earned run all season, McClain started App State’s offense with a bang by cranking a deep home run over the left-field wall to plate the game’s first run. This marked just the second time all season that Tennessee had trailed in a game (trailed No. 11 Nebraska on Feb. 13).

Seeing her offense generate run support for her, Fisher came out and retired the Volunteers in order in the bottom of the inning, and App State led by one through one. App State couldn’t add on in the second despite seeing a walk to Ching, but Fisher helped keep Tennessee off the scoreboard by working around a double and a walk to keep App State’s lead intact.

Both sides went quietly in the third inning, but the Mountaineers generated a scoring chance in the fourth. Schafer led off the inning with a single and Ching reached base on a fielding error to put two runners on with two outs. But a groundout ended the threat and kept the Mountaineers’ lead to just one through 4.5 innings.

After Fisher tallied a scoreless fourth inning, Tennessee answered with a zero in its half of the fifth. Then, the Volunteers found their offense and scored six runs to take the lead. Tennessee capitalized on two errors and three walks to post a big inning. The Mountaineers couldn’t answer in the sixth inning despite seeing a lead-off double by Barrett, and Tennessee responded with three runs to end the game early, which clinched its 15th win of the season.

BOX SCORE: https://appstatesports.com/documents/2026/2/27/App15.pdf

Up Next

App State will continue play at the Tennessee Invitational on Saturday with another doubleheader, this time against N.C. Central and No. 23 Penn State. Saturday’s doubleheader will start with a 10 a.m. first pitch against the Eagles. Both contests can be followed along via Live Stats.

By Matt Present. BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. — App State Baseball dropped its series opener Friday at Gardner-Webb, as the Runnin’ Bulldogs erased a pair of late deficits before prevailing 7-6 in 12 innings.

App State (7-2) and Gardner-Webb (7-3) will meet again Saturday at 3 p.m.

The Runnin’ Bulldogs forced extra innings with a run in the bottom of the ninth inning, then overcame a 6-5 deficit in the 12th by scoring two runs after the first two batters of the frame had been retired.

Back-to-back singles put runners at the corners before the tying run scored on a wild pitch that didn’t stray far from home plate, with baserunner Allan Camarillo barely beating the tag as pitcher Nick DiRito covered home.

After a walk put two runners on, Drew Ripepi pulled a ball to the left side for an infield single that wasn’t fielded cleanly as the shortstop went to the ground deep in the hole, with lead runner Merik Carter moving toward third and then breaking for home when the ball got away. With the fielder unable to cleanly pick up the ball and throw home, Carter scored the winning run.

DiRito’s lights-out pitching out of the bullpen put App State in position to pull out an extra-inning victory. After Gardner-Webb opened the bottom of the ninth with back-to-back doubles to tie the game at 5-all, DiRito entered the game and retired 11 of the next 13 batters he faced, striking out eight in a dominant stretch that had the Mountaineers one out away from a win with the bases empty.

App State had taken a 6-5 lead in the top of the 12th, after Jonathan Xuereb reached third with a one-out double that included a fielding error to give him an extra base. He scored on Steven Smith’s groundout to a drawn-in shortstop, who had to throw to first when he didn’t field the grounder cleanly.

The Mountaineers totaled 11 hits, led by a 5-for-5 night at the plate from Drew DuPont.

Both teams had four-run third innings, with Nico Soul producing a 4-0 lead with a three-run double in the top half, and App State took a 5-4 lead on DuPont’s sacrifice fly in the fifth inning. The score remained the same until Gardner-Webb’s back-to-back doubles in the ninth.

App State relief pitcher JJ Garcia, who entered the game with two away and the bases loaded in the fifth, retired the next batter on a flyout to left and pitched a perfect sixth. He gave way to Logan Tibbett with two on and nobody out in the seventh, and Tibbett issued a one-out walk to load the bases, but he escaped the jam thanks to a foulout to third and a strikeout.

Tibbett pitched a perfect eighth and was replaced by DiRito following the consecutive doubles in the ninth. A groundout, strikeout and lineout pushed the game to extra innings.

App State loaded the bases with one out in the 10th inning before grounding into a double play, and DiRito struck out the side in the bottom of the 10th. He followed a leadoff double in the bottom of the 11th with three straight strikeouts.

BOX SCORE

https://appstatesports.com/sports/baseball/stats/2026/gardner-webb/boxscore/9710