Box Score | Press Conference

CHARLESTON, S.C. – Michael Pierson's home run off the foul pole in right field snapped a 2-all tie and lifted fifth-seeded Appalachian State to a 3-2, 11-inning win over No. 4 seed Georgia Southern at the Southern Conference Baseball Championship at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park.
 
Appalachian State (21-32) advances to face the winner of Tuesday's Western Carolina/Furman game in a winners' bracket contest on Thursday at either 5 or 8 p.m. The Eagles (34-21) drop to the losers' bracket and will take on the loser of the WCU/Furman game Thursday at 10 a.m.
 
Appalachian State forced extras with Dillon Dobson's two-out RBI single in the top of the ninth, setting the stage for Pierson's heroics two innings later. Pierson gave the Apps their first and only lead of the day when he hit a towering fly ball of off Ryan Frederick to lead off the decisive 11th frame.

"I thought both teams got outstanding pitching, but Appalachian State got the big hit in extra innings and came out on top. Both teams battled all day long. We played great defense. We made one mistake, and to Appalachian State's credit, they made us pay," Head Coach Rodney Hennon said.

The Eagles put two on via a pair of walks – one intentional – in the bottom half, but Robert Whaley induced a popup to shortstop to end the contest.
 
Pierson's big hit wouldn't have been possible without a ninth-inning rally. With the Mountaineers down to their last three outs and trailing 2-1, Preston Troutman reached and went to second on a throwing error to lead off the inning. A ground out moved him to third, and after another ground out, Dobson poked a ball into left field to score Troutman and draw the Mountaineers level at 2.
 
The Apps' rally spoiled a solid effort by SoCon Pitcher of the Year Josh Wirsu, who was in line for the win for the Eagles after allowing just one run on four hits and a walk in 6 2/3 innings of work.
 
Wirsu's counterpart, Tyler Moore, also turned in a gem, allowing two runs on five hits in eight innings. Moore carried a no-hitter into the fourth before allowing Stryker Brown's solo home run to right.

"We hit some balls hard early off (Tyler) Moore and had some good at-bats off of him, but we just didn't have anything to show for it. That's baseball. We don't have time to hang our heads; there's a long way to go in this thing. We have to pick ourselves up and get ready to play tomorrow," Hennon said.
 
Georgia Southern tacked on another run in the sixth, getting a one-out double from Kody Adams and an RBI single from Ben Morgan to go up 2-0.
 
Appalachian State halved its deficit in the top of the seventh. Pierson singled to lead off the inning and, after a pair of outfield outs, took second on a wild pitch. Jason Richman then relieved Wirsu, allowing Jaylin Davis' RBI single up the middle before getting a popup to end the frame.
 
After App sent the game to extras, GSU had a chance to win it in the bottom of the 10th but could not take advantage of getting its first two runners on base. Garrett Chapman singled to lead off the frame, and Hunter Thomas was hit by pitch as the Eagles seemed to have a rally going. After GSU fouled out on a sacrifice bunt attempt, Whaley took the mound for the Mountaineers and got Dalton Busby to fly into a double play to center, with Chapman unable to retreat to second in time on the play.
 
Davis was 3-for-5 with an RBI to lead the Mountaineers at the plate, while Pierson had two hits and scored twice.

Kody Adams had the lone multi-hit game for the Eagles, going 2-for-5 with a run scored.
 
Whaley (3-1) worked 1 2/3 scoreless innings to pick up the win, walking two and not allowing a hit. Frederick (4-1) suffered his first loss of the season, allowing a run on one hit in 1 2/3 innings.

Georgia Southern Athletics provides up-to-date information on all its sports through its official website, GSEagles.com, through social media channels facebook.com/GSAthletics and twitter.com/GSAthletics. To purchase tickets call 1-800-GSU-WINS.