# 2021 Appalachian State Mountaineers baseball team

The 2021 Appalachian State Mountaineers baseball team represented Appalachian State University during the 2021 NCAA Division I baseball season. The Mountaineers played their home games at Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium and were led by fifth-year head coach Kermit Smith. They were members of the Sun Belt Conference.

## Preseason
### Signing Day Recruits

Source:
| Player | Hometown | Previous Team |
| Pitchers |||
| Eli Ellington | Charlotte, North Carolina | Gulf Coast CC |
| Jeriah Henry | Lake Wales, Florida | Lawson State CC |
| Owen Kincaid | Jamestown, North Carolina | Southwest Guilford HS |
| Ben Peterson | Cary, North Carolina | Apex HS |
| AJ Stinson | Hattiesburg, Mississippi | Lawson State CC |
| Trey Tujetsch | Fort Mill, South Carolina | South Carolina |
| Hitters |||
| Carson Arnold | Mooresville, North Carolina | Lake Norman HS |
| Hunter Bryson | Charlotte, North Carolina | Providence HS |
| Trent Lewis | Sebring, Florida | Avon Park HS |
| Austin Raynor | Granite Falls, North Carolina | South Caldwell HS |

### Sun Belt Conference Coaches Poll

The Sun Belt Conference Coaches Poll was released on February 15, 2021 and the Mountaineers were picked to finish fifth in the East Division with 21 votes.
Coaches poll (East) :
| Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
| 1 | Coastal Carolina | 69 (10) |
| 2 | South Alabama | 51 (1) |
| 3 | Georgia Southern | 51 (1) |
| 4 | Troy | 44 |
| 5 | Appalachian State | 21 |
| 6 | Georgia State | 16 |

### Preseason All-Sun Belt Team and Honors

* Aaron Funk (LR, Pitcher)
* Jordan Jackson (GASO, Pitcher)
* Conor Angel (LA, Pitcher)
* Wyatt Divis (UTA, Pitcher)
* Lance Johnson (TROY, Pitcher)
* Caleb Bartolero (TROY, Catcher)
* William Sullivan (TROY, 1st Base)
* Luke Drumheller (APP, 2nd Base)
* Drew Frederic (TROY, Shortstop)
* Cooper Weiss (CCU, 3rd Base)
* Ethan Wilson (USA, Outfielder)
* Parker Chavers (CCU, Outfielder)
* Rigsby Mosley (TROY, Outfielder)
* Eilan Merejo (GSU, Designated Hitter)
* Andrew Beesly (ULM, Utility)

## Personnel
### Roster

Source:

### Coaching staff
## Schedule and results

Legend :
| | Appalachian State win |
| | Appalachian State loss |
| | Postponement/Cancelation/Suspensions |
| Bold | Appalachian State team member |
2021 Appalachian State Mountaineers baseball game log :
Regular season (20-30) :
February (5-2) :
| Date | Opponent | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | Attendance | Overall record |
| Feb. 20 | at Winthrop | Winthrop Ballpark • Rock Hill, SC | W 4-1 | Hall (1-0) | Crumley (0-1) | None | 180 | 1-0 |
| Feb. 20 | at Winthrop | Winthrop Ballpark • Rock Hill, SC | W 4-0 | Martinez (1-0) | Jones (0-1) | None | 175 | 2-0 |
| Feb. 21 | at Winthrop | Winthrop Ballpark • Rock Hill, SC | L 9-10 | Skinner (1-0) | Smith (0-1) | None | 120 | 2-1 |
| Feb. 23 | at East Tennessee State | Thomas Stadium • Johnson City, TN | W 5-4 | Hall (2-0) | Mercer (0-1) | None | 308 | 3-1 |
| Feb. 27 | North Carolina A&T | Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium • Boone, NC | W 6-2 | Tuthill (1-0) | Johnson (0-2) | Hall (1) | 120 | 4-1 |
| Feb. 27 | North Carolina A&T | Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium • Boone, NC | W 7-6 | Martinez (2-0) | Meachem (0-1) | Ellington (1) | 120 | 5-1 |
| Feb. 28 | at North Carolina A&T | World War Memorial Stadium • Greensboro, NC | L 3-11 | Parks (1-0) | Hooper (0-1) | None | | 5-2 |
March (6-10) :
| Date | Opponent | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | TV | Attendance | Overall record | SBC record |
| Mar. 2 | North Carolina A&T | Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium • Boone, NC | W 14-7 | Terrell (1-0) | Meachem (0-2) | None | | 120 | 6-2 | |
| Mar. 5 | at No. 12 East Carolina | Clark–LeClair Stadium • Greenville, NC | L 2-13 | Spivey (1-0) | Tuthill (1-1) | None | | 1,135 | 6-3 | |
| Mar. 6 | at No. 12 East Carolina | Clark–LeClair Stadium • Greenville, NC | L 2-5 | Williams (1-0) | Martinez (2-1) | Mayhue (2) | | 1,184 | 6-4 | |
| Mar. 7 | at No. 12 East Carolina | Clark–LeClair Stadium • Greenville, NC | L 2-10 | Whisenhunt (2-0) | Tujetsch (0-1) | None | | 1,194 | 6-5 | |
| Mar. 12 | at UNC Wilmington | Brooks Field • Wilmington, NC | L 1-6 | Roupp (1-2) | Tuthill (1-2) | None | FloBaseball | 492 | 6-6 | |
| Mar. 13 | at UNC Wilmington | Brooks Field • Wilmington, NC | L 1-4 | Gesell (2-0) | Martinez (2-2) | Cota (1) | FloBaseball | 500 | 6-7 | |
| Mar. 14 | at UNC Wilmington | Brooks Field • Wilmington, NC | L 1-7 | Chenault (1-0) | Terrell (1-1) | None | FloBaseball | 492 | 6-8 | |
| Mar. 16 | North Carolina A&T | Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium • Boone, NC | W 14-5 | Peterson (1-0) | O'Neal (0-1) | None | ESPN+ | 210 | 7-8 | |
| Mar. 19 | Arkansas State | Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium • Boone, NC | W 5-4 | Tuthill (2-2) | Nash (1-2) | Hall (2) | ESPN+ | 220 | 8-8 | 1-0 |
| Mar. 20 | Arkansas State | Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium • Boone, NC | W 8-3 | Martinez (3-2) | Holt (0-2) | None | ESPN+ | 220 | 9-8 | 2-0 |
| Mar. 21 | Arkansas State | Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium • Boone, NC | W 12-2 (7 inns) | Hall (3-0) | Anderson (0-3) | None | ESPN+ | 215 | 10-8 | 3-0 |
| Mar. 23 | vs. Charlotte | Atrium Health Ballpark • Kannapolis, NC | L 5-15 | Sims (1-0) | Peterson (1-1) | None | CUSA.TV | 1,648 | 10-9 | |
| Mar. 26 | at Georgia Southern | J. I. Clements Stadium • Statesboro, GA | L 1-3 | Owens (2-0) | Tuthill (2-3) | Jones (6) | ESPN+ | 779 | 10-10 | 3-1 |
| Mar. 27 | at Georgia Southern | J. I. Clements Stadium • Statesboro, GA | L 2-10 | Dollander (3-1) | Martinez (3-3) | None | ESPN+ | 735 | 10-11 | 3-2 |
| Mar. 28 | at Georgia Southern | J. I. Clements Stadium • Statesboro, GA | W 3-1 | Hall (4-0) | Johnson (1-2) | Ellington (2) | | 607 | 11-11 | 4-2 |
| Mar. 30 | at Wake Forest | David F. Couch Ballpark • Winston-Salem, NC | L 7-15 | McNamee (3-0) | Peterson (1-2) | None | ACCN+ | 526 | 11-12 | |
April (5-9) :
| Date | Opponent | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | TV | Attendance | Overall record | SBC record |
| Apr. 1 | at Coastal Carolina | Springs Brooks Stadium • Conway, SC | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol |
| Apr. 2 | at Coastal Carolina | Springs Brooks Stadium • Conway, SC | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol |
| Apr. 3 | at Coastal Carolina | Springs Brooks Stadium • Conway, SC | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol | Game postponed due to COVID-19 protocol |
| Apr. 6 | at NC State | Doak Field • Raleigh, NC | L 2-13 | Villaman (2-2) | Martinez (3-4) | None | ACCN+ | 365 | 11-13 | |
| Apr. 9 | Georgia State | Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium • Boone, NC | W 4-2 | Cornatzer (1-0) | Jones (0-4) | Ellington (3) | | 220 | 12-13 | 5-2 |
| Apr. 10 | Georgia State | Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium • Boone, NC | W 9-7 | Ellington (1-0) | Treadway (0-4) | Terrell (1) | | 220 | 13-13 | 6-2 |
| Apr. 11 | Georgia State | Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium • Boone, NC | L 13-15 | Haston (1-0) | Roberts (0-1) | Barquero (1) | | 220 | 13-14 | 6-3 |
| Apr. 13 | Wake Forest | Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium • Boone, NC | L 0-12 | Mascolo (2-1) | Tujetsch (0-2) | None | ESPN+ | 220 | 13-15 | |
| Apr. 16 | at Lipscomb | Dugan Field • Nashville, TN | W 9-5 (11 inns) | Hall (5-0) | Morgan (0-1) | None | ESPN+ | 197 | 14-15 | |
| Apr. 17 | at Lipscomb | Dugan Field • Nashville, TN | L 2-4 | Bierman (2-3) | Martinez (3-5) | Maldonado (1) | YouTube | 227 | 14-16 | |
| Apr. 18 | at Lipscomb | Dugan Field • Nashville, TN | W 4-3 | 'Ellington (2-0) | Williams (0-2) | Terrell (2) | ESPN+ | 207 | 15-16 | |
| Apr. 20 | Charlotte | Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium • Boone, NC | L 8-11 | Starnes (1-1) | Roberts (0-1) | Lothes (5) | ESPN+ | 190 | 15-17 | |
| Apr. 23 | at Troy | Riddle–Pace Field • Troy, AL | L 0-2 | Gainous (6-3) | Tuthill (2-4) | Oates (3) | ESPN+ | 843 | 15-18 | 6-4 |
| Apr. 24 | at Troy | Riddle–Pace Field • Troy, AL | L 4-9 | Ortiz (3-4) | Cornatzer (1-1) | None | ESPN+ | 804 | 15-19 | 6-5 |
| Apr. 25 | at Troy | Riddle–Pace Field • Troy, AL | L 2-12 (7 inns) | Witcher (4-2) | Martinez (3-6) | None | ESPN+ | 804 | 15-20 | 6-6 |
| Apr. 27 | NC State | Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium • Boone, NC | L 3-7 | Villaman (4-2) | Tujetsch (0-3) | None | ESPN+ | 220 | 15-21 | |
| Apr. 30 | Louisiana–Monroe | Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium • Boone, NC | W 6-4 | Tuthill (3-4) | Barnes (2-4) | Hall (2) | ESPN+ | 205 | 16-21 | 7-6 |
May (4–9) :
| Date | Opponent | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | TV | Attendance | Overall record | SBC record |
| May 1 | Louisiana–Monroe | Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium • Boone, NC | L 7-10 | Jans (1-0) | Hall (5-1) | Orton (4) | ESPN+ | 210 | 16-22 | 7-7 |
| May 2 | Louisiana–Monroe | Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium • Boone, NC | L 5-13 (8 inns.) | Longsworth (2-2) | Tujetsch (0-4) | None | ESPN+ | 200 | 16-23 | 7-8 |
| May 7 | at Miami | Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field • Coral Gables, FL | L 2-4 | Rosario (5-4) | Tuthill (3-5) | Palmquist (11) | ACCN+ | 651 | 16-24 | |
| May 8 | at Miami | Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field • Coral Gables, FL | L 1-16 | Smith (2-0) | Tujetsch (0-5) | None | ACCN+ | 653 | 16-25 | |
| May 9 | at Miami | Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field • Coral Gables, FL | L 2-10 (6 inns) | Mederos (2-3) | Martinez (3-7) | None | ACCN+ | 612 | 16-26 | |
| May 11 | East Tennessee State | Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium • Boone, NC | L 5-10 | Mercer (1-3) | Terrell (1-2) | None | ESPN+ | 190 | 16-27 | |
| May 14 | at Little Rock | Gary Hogan Field • Little Rock, AR | W 2-1 | Tuthill (4-5) | Barkley (6-4) | None | ESPN+ | 329 | 17-27 | 8-8 |
| May 15 | at Little Rock | Gary Hogan Field • Little Rock, AR | L 2-4 | Funk (2-5) | Cornatzer (1-2) | None | ESPN+ | 378 | 17-28 | 8-9 |
| May 16 | at Little Rock | Gary Hogan Field • Little Rock, AR | W 5-0 | Tujetsch (1-5) | Weatherley (2-2) | Ellington (4) | ESPN+ | 271 | 18-28 | 9-9 |
| May 18 | at No. 21 South Carolina | Founders Park • Columbia, SC | L 0-2 | Weins (1-0) | Peterson (1-3) | Sanders (1) | SECN+ | 2,538 | 18-29 | |
| May 20 | South Alabama | Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium • Boone, NC | W 6-4 | Roberts (1-0) | Smith (4-1) | Papp (1) | ESPN+ | 389 | 19-29 | 10-9 |
| May 21 | South Alabama | Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium • Boone, NC | W 4-2 | Ellington (3-0) | Lehrmann (3-3) | None | ESPN+ | 469 | 20-29 | 11-9 |
| May 22 | South Alabama | Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium • Boone, NC | L 3-13 (7 inns) | Booker (7-0) | Tujetsch (1-6) | None | ESPN+ | 440 | 20-30 | 11-10 |
Post-season (1–1) :
SBC Tournament (1–1) :
| Date | Opponent | Seed/Rank | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | TV | Attendance | Overall record | Tournament record |
| May 25 | (6W) Texas State | (4E) | Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium • Montgomery, AL | W 1-0 | Peterson (2-3) | Leigh (4-8) | Ellington (5) | ESPN+ | | 21-30 | 1-0 |
| May 26 | vs. (1W) Louisiana | (4E) | Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium • Montgomery, AL | L 2-7 | Talley (1-1) | Tuthill (4-6) | Arrighetti (2) | ESPN+ | | 21-31 | 1-1 |
    Schedule Source:
*Rankings are based on the team's current ranking in the D1Baseball poll.

## Postseason
### Conference accolades

* Player of the Year: Mason McWhorter – GASO
* Pitcher of the Year: Hayden Arnold – LR
* Freshman of the Year: Garrett Gainous – TROY
* Newcomer of the Year: Drake Osborn – LA
* Coach of the Year: Mark Calvi – USA
References:

## Rankings

Ranking movements Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking — = Not ranked RV = Received votes :
| | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week |
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | Final |
| Coaches' | — | —* | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | | | | |
| Baseball America | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | | | | |
| Collegiate Baseball^ | RV | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | | | | |
| NCBWA† | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | | | | |
| D1Baseball | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | | | | |
^ Collegiate Baseball ranked 40 teams in their preseason poll, but only ranked 30 teams weekly during the season. † NCBWA ranks 35 teams in their preseason poll, but only ranks 30 teams weekly during the season. * A new poll was not released for this week, so for comparison purposes, the previous week's ranking is inserted in this week's slot.