RALEIGH, N.C. — Appalachian State University baseball took a 3-0 lead into the bottom of the eighth inning, but squandered the advantage and allowed Davidson to escape with a 5-3 victory in the season opener for both teams at NC State's Doak Field.

Four Appalachian State pitchers combined to issue five walks, hit a batter and throw a wild pitch in the fateful eighth inning, allowing Davidson to plate five runs despite recording just two hits in the frame (both singles).

After mowing down Davidson in the sixth and seventh innings, App State reliever Matt Brill walked the first batter and hit the second to open the bottom of the eighth. With the tying run at the plate and nobody out, freshman southpaw Ryan Ross took over for Brill and did a fine job in recording two outs while allowing only one run to score on a groundout to shortstop.

With right-handed hitter Ben Arkin coming to the plate for Davidson with two outs and runners on second and third, right-handed pitcher Brian Bauk was called upon to preserve the Mountaineers' 3-1 lead. However, on Bauk's third pitch, Arkin hit a seeing-eye single through the left side of the infield and both Wildcat runners scored to knot the game at 3-3. Bauk then surrendered an infield single and issued a five-pitch walk to load the bases before giving way to sophomore Sean Mason.

Mason's first 10 pitches of the season all missed the strike zone, allowing Alec Acosta and Jake Sidwell to both draw bases-loaded walks that gave Davidson a 5-3 lead.

In the top of the ninth, Appalachian State's Bradley Morton legged out an infield single to bring the tying run to the plate with one out. However, Michael Pierson flew out to left and Jaylin Davis grounded out to second to end the ballgame.

The Mountaineers' eighth-inning struggles on the mound overshadowed what was a sterling pitching performance to that point by senior starter Jeffrey Springs and Brill. Springs limited Davidson to just three hits over five scoreless innings before giving way to Brill, who worked two hitless frames out of the bullpen before putting the first two runners on in the eighth.

Bauk (0-1) was saddled with the first loss of his career.

Offensively, Appalachian State banged out six hits over the first four innings but managed only three runs while stranding six baserunners. The missed opportunities at the plate proved costly when Davidson's pitchers settled in and limited the Mountaineers to just two hits over the final five frames.

Morton led Appalachian with two hits while Pierson drove in two of the Mountaineers'  three runs with a two-out, two-run double down the right-field line in the fourth. Despite collecting eight hits (compared to just five for Davidson), App State was hampered by striking out 13 times.

The Mountaineers look to bounce back from the heartbreaking loss when it plays Villanova on Saturday. First pitch is set for 11 a.m. at Doak Field.

NOTES: Sunday's game versus NC State has been cancelled due to a forecast for wintry weather in Raleigh ... Friday's Appalachian State-Davidson game was the 102nd all-time meeting between the programs but the first non-conference duel — the previous 101 App State-Davidson contests came when both teams were members of the Southern Conference from 1973-2014 ... Appalachian is in its first season in the Sun Belt Conference and Davidson is in its first campaign in the Atlantic 10 ... Pierson has reached base in 31st-straight games, dating back to April 2 of last season ... Appalachian State senior reliever Robert Whaley is not with the club due to a personal issue ... there is currently no timetable for Whaley's return.