App State softball dropped a pair of games against Coastal Carolina on Thursday, 7-1 and 4-3.

Game 1 Recap (Coastal Carolina 7, App State 1)
Taylor Thorp produced the Mountaineers’ sole run of the series opener with a bomb to left center, her fourth of the season. That shot came in the fourth inning when App State was down by a pair of runs.

Thorp and Kaley Coltrain both went 2-3 to lead the Mountaineers, followed by Kayt Houston, who tallied a single.

Coastal Carolina would pull away in the closing innings for a six-run victory. Delani Buckner pitched the first five innings, striking out two batters with two earned runs on four hits. Kapri Toone and Kaylie Northrop also saw playing time in the final two innings.

Game 2 Recap (Coastal Carolina 4, App State 3, 9 inn.)
The Black and Gold struck first in the middle game of the series in the bottom of the second when Kylie LaRousa hit a two-run bomb to left field. That hit brought home McKenzie McCullen, who returned to action on Thursday after missing over a month due to injury. LaRousa has tallied four home runs this season.

Sejal Neas retired eight straight batters in the circle to keep the Mountaineers ahead until the fourth inning when the Chanticleers cut the lead to one.

Houston responded with an RBI double in what would be App State’s final run of the contest, scored by Abby Cunningham. Coastal Carolina matched the score in the top of the sixth, leading to back-to-back scoreless innings before Delaney Keith sealed the victory with an RBI single.

Neas recorded three strikeouts and three earned runs on five hits. Northrop pitched the final two and a half innings with one earned run on four hits.

Mary Pierce Barnes added a pair of hits as well, continuing her impressive average of .422 in conference play, the second-best in the Sun Belt.

The Mountaineers and Chanticleers will meet on Friday at 2 p.m. in what will be App State’s season finale. Senior Day will take place pregame, and a graduation ceremony will follow the contest.