Jonesboro, AR – JonesboroRightNow.com – Arkansas State showed resilience against one of the Sun Belt’s top teams, closing out the weekend with a statement win.
The Red Wolves dropped the first two games of their three-game series against No. 11 Coastal Carolina — both in frustrating fashion — before breaking through Sunday with a 6-3 victory at Tomlinson Stadium-Slayton Family Field.
Arkansas State (21-14, 7-8 SBC) found itself in a familiar spot early in the finale, locked in a tight game before the Chanticleers surged ahead. Coastal Carolina pushed across two runs in the fifth inning to take a 3-1 lead, threatening to follow the same script that defined the first two games.
But this time, the Red Wolves answered.
A-State sent seven consecutive batters to the plate in the bottom half of the fifth, turning the game around with a five-run outburst. A wild pitch and passed ball helped tie the game before Evan Griffis delivered an RBI single to give Arkansas State the lead. The Red Wolves kept the pressure on from there, adding insurance runs to seize control at 6-3.
From there, the pitching staff did just enough to make it hold up.
Starter Dylan Farley worked through traffic to earn the win, and the bullpen navigated a tense ninth inning. With the tying run on base, Cooper Garrison shut the door, recording the final outs to secure his sixth save of the season.
The finale provided a much-needed lift after two missed opportunities earlier in the weekend.
Arkansas State was competitive throughout the series but couldn’t finish late in the first two games. In the opener, the Red Wolves carried a close game into the ninth inning before Coastal Carolina erupted for seven runs to pull away for a 10-7 win.
The middle game followed a similar pattern. Arkansas State kept pace and even held a late tie, but the Chanticleers again delivered the decisive blows down the stretch, escaping with a 4-3 victory.
That made Sunday’s response stand out even more.
Instead of letting another tight game slip away, Arkansas State flipped the script — delivering the big inning, holding the late lead, and finishing off a ranked opponent.
While the Red Wolves didn’t take the series, the finale offered a reminder of what the team can do against top competition — and a bit of momentum heading into the week ahead.
Arkansas State returns to action Tuesday with a road trip to Southern Illinois.
