BOONE, N.C. – The Coastal Carolina softball team couldn't complete the comeback on Thursday night at Sywassink/Lloyd Stadium in Boone, N.C., as they blasted three home runs in the 7-5 loss at Appalachian State.
The Chanticleers fall to 7-15 in the Sun Belt Conference and 19-23 overall, while the Mountaineers improve to 8-10 in conference play and 26-15 overall.
Appalachian State carried a 7-0 lead going into the top of the third before the Chants chipped away at the opposition's lead, scoring five times over the final five innings of play. Coastal Carolina had the winning run at the plate in the top of the seventh but couldn't complete the come from behind victory.
Sophomore
Raelee Brabham provided strong relief from the CCU bullpen to keep the score within striking distance for her team. The right-hander worked the final 4.1 innings, allowing just two hits while striking out two batters.
The Mountaineers knocked out Chanticleers' starter
Iyanla De Jesus after 1.2 innings of work as she gave up four hits, allowed seven runs, two earned while walking five batters.
Appalachian State batted around the order in the bottom second inning on De Jesus when they got RBI hits from Baylee Morton, Mary Pierce Barnes, and Taylor Thorp.
CCU started the comeback in the top of the third with senior
Makiya Thomas' solo home run to right field off App State starter Kenzie Longanecker. Thomas cut the lead to 7-1 with her fourth home run of the season and her first career home in a Chanticleer uniform in a visiting ballpark.
Coastal scored two times in the top five frame off the APP right-hander to cut the deficit to 7-3. Junior shortstop
Abbey Montoya reached on a fielding error before graduate student
Kayla Rosado hit her eighth home run of the season to the opposite field.
Chanticleers' senior
Courtney Dean is playing in her final series in her native state of North Carolina. The Indian Trail, N.C., native also got into the home run parade for CCU as she hit her eighth of the season to cut the score to 7-4. It was her second home run in as many games and ties her with
Kassidy Smith (' 20) for fourth all-time in school history with 38 career home runs.
After Rosado knocked in her third run of the game in the top of the seventh, junior catcher,
Mackenzie Beyer forced App State to go to reliever Delani Buckner with her second hit of the game. Buckner kept the Chants at bay as she got the final three outs to end the game.
Coastal Carolina left 10 runners on base while Appalachian State stranded six.
Thomas (2-for-4, 1 HR, RBI), Rosado (3-for-4, 1 HR, 3 RBI), Beyer (2-for-4), and
Stavi Augur (2-for-4, 2B) had multi-hit games in the loss for CCU.
Baylee Morton and Sydney Russell led App State with two hits apiece in the victory.
Game two and three will take place on Friday afternoon to close out the series. First pitch for game two is slated for 1 p.m. ET, with action airing on ESPN+.
For complete coverage of CCU softball, follow the Chanticleers on social media at @CoastalSoftball (Twitter), @GoCCUSports (Instagram), and facebook.com/CCUChanticleers(Facebook) or visit the official home of Coastal Carolina at www.GoCCUsports.com.
