Box Score BOONE, N.C. — Four runs after Appalachian State University baseball appeared to get out of the top of the fifth inning proved to be the difference in a 7-5 loss to UT Arlington on Sunday afternoon at Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium.

With the game tied at 2-2 and two outs in the top of the fifth inning, Appalachian State starting pitcher Colin Schmid struck out UT Arlington's Christian Hollie for what would have been the final out of the inning. However, the third strike was a breaking ball that skipped away from App State catcher Chandler Seagle. Seagle quickly chased down the loose ball and fired a throw to first base but the speedy Hollie was called safe on the bang-bang play and the inning continued.

The ruling proved to be a big one, as a walk, an RBI double and a three-run homer by Colton Turner followed the disputed play and what would have been a 2-2 game turned into a 6-2 UTA advantage.

UT Arlington extended the lead to 7-2 in the top of the sixth but, as it has done all season, App State (15-36, 9-21 Sun Belt) refused to roll over and quit. After the Mavericks stretched their advantage to five runs in the top of the sixth, the Mountaineers responded with three runs of their own in the bottom of the frame. An RBI double by freshman Tanner Mann-Fix, a sacrifice fly by Seagle and an RBI single by freshman Beau Myers accounted for the three runs that cut Appalachian State's deficit to 7-5.

Thanks to strong relief performances by Appalachian State's Stephen Schoch and UT Arlington's Dylan Schneider, the score remained 7-5 until the bottom of the ninth.  

After Drake Zupcic led off the bottom of the ninth with a pinch-hit single, Tyler Stroup dribbled the first pitch of the next at-bat up the first-base line. UTA first baseman Noah Vaughan made a diving stop in front of the bag and appeared to react as though he believed that the ball was foul. However, it was ruled fair and, after starting to get to his feet slowly at first, Vaughan had to quickly scamper to the bag to record the first out of the inning.

Appalachian State head coach Billy Jones came out of the dugout to appeal to the first-base umpire that he ask for help with the call from his partner at home plate. The request to ask for assistance was denied and the call stood.

The Mountaineers wound up bringing the winning run to the plate with two outs but UTA third baseman R.J. Williams made a nice play on Grayson Atwood's hot shot up the third-base line and threw across the diamond for the final out of the game.

Seagle led Appalachian State's offensive effort by going 2-for-3 with a career-high three RBI. In addition to the sac fly in the sixth, Seagle also hit the first home run of his career, a game-tying two-run blast in the fourth. Mann-Fix also had two hits for the Mountaineers.

Turner went 3-for-5 with four RBI to pace UT Arlington (28-24, 14-13 Sun Belt).

Although it fell short of its ultimate goal of qualifying for the Sun Belt Conference Tournament, Appalachian State won more conference games (nine) and series (three) this season than it did in its first season in the ultra-competitive league. The Mountaineers could return as many as 25 letterwinners, including eight starters and their entire pitching rotation, in 2017.

Appalachian State closes the season next weekend with a three-game non-conference series versus Longwood (30-22, 14-10 Big South). Game times are set for 6 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and 1 p.m. on Saturday at Smith Stadium.