CHARLESTON, S.C. - Despite mounting a comeback from a three-run deficit in the fourth and fifth innings, App State Baseball fell short after conceding a run in the bottom of the seventh, losing game one of the three-game series 5-4 to the College of Charleston.
The Cougars (8-4) struck first, with a two-run homerun in the bottom of the first inning. The Mountaineers (6-7) quickly responded with a
Tyler Lichtenberger single to left field, sending
Dillon Moquin home to put App State on the board for the first time in the game.
After a scoreless second inning for the Mountaineers, the Cougars added two more runs in the bottom of the third, taking a 4-1 lead heading into the fourth.
App State answered back in the fourth, scoring two runs to tie the game. A double from Moquin into left-center field brought
Braxton Church home, followed by a groundout by
Jonathan Xuereb that brought Moquin across the plate, narrowing the Cougars' lead to 4-2.
Bradley Wilson entered the game in the bottom of the fourth inning and quickly made an impact, retiring the first three batters in order with a strikeout and two groundouts.
The Mountaineers tied the game at 4-4 in the fifth inning, when a four-ball walk with the bases loaded brought in
Tyler Figueroa with one out. The Cougars held firm, preventing any further runs from scoring in the inning and for the rest of the game.
In his second inning on the mound, Wilson struck out two batters back-to-back before getting the third batter to ground out, completing a 1-2-3 inning.
Both teams were held scoreless in the sixth inning, with Xuereb recording his third hit of the season. College of Charleston took the lead again in the seventh, scoring their fifth and game-clinching run on an RBI groundout to shortstop.
The 2025 App State Baseball season is presented by Chick-fil-A. The Mountaineers are back in action Saturday at 2 p.m. for game two of the weekend series at the College of Charleston.
