BOONE, N.C. - Appalachian State's Kayt Houston hit a two-out walk-off solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to give the Mountaineers a 2-1 Sun Belt series-opening softball victory over visiting Georgia Southern on Friday afternoon in Boone.

The Mountaineers improved to 18-13 overall and 6-4 in the league with the win, while Georgia Southern falls to 8-19 overall and 3-7 in the league. The series continues with game two on Saturday at 2 p.m.

The Eagles struck first in the contest as Ashleigh Duty led off the game with a single, stole second, then scored on an RBI double by Jess Mazur.

App State tied things up in the bottom of the second on an RBI single by Kennedy Upshire.

After that, Eagle starter Kastin Belogorsk and App State reliever Segal Neas dueled for six innings as neither team could dent the scoreboard again until the eighth. Belogorska had retired nine straight before Houston's two-out home run ended the string.

Belogorska (3-9) pitched 7 2/3 innings, giving up five hits and two runs, walking two and striking out one in taking the loss. Neas (4-1) hurled six innings of three-hit shutout relief to notch the win, walking one.

Mazur went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI to lead the Eagles at the plate.