EMERSON, Ga. — After managing just two hits through eight innings, Appalachian State University baseball brought the tying run to the plate in the top of the ninth but its upset bid fell short in a 4-2 loss to No. 16 Maryland on Friday afternoon at the Perfect Game LakePoint Complex.

Appalachian State (3-4) only mustered two hits and stuck out 12 times in seven innings against Maryland ace Mike Shawaryn (3-0). One of the Mountaineers' two hits off Shawaryn was a pinch-hit home run by Noah Holmes in the top of the sixth that pulled App State within three at 4-1. The solo blast was Holmes' first since May 12, 2013 at Gonzaga. The fifth-year senior missed all of last season due to a shoulder injury.

The score remained 4-1 until the top of the ninth when Appalachian found some offensive success against the Terrapins' bullpen. Senior Brandon Burris got the rally started with a one-out double down the left-field line. Burris moved to third on a groundout by Michael Pierson and came home on a two-out RBI single by Jaylin Davis to cut the Mountaineers' deficit to 4-2.

With Davis on first base, cleanup hitter Dillon Dobson represented the tying run when he came to the plate with two outs but Maryland's second pitcher of the ninth inning, Robert Galligan, got him to ground out to end the ballgame.

Maryland (6-1) scored all four of its runs in the third inning, highlighted by a three-run homer Jose Caus.

Appalachian State starting pitcher Jeffrey Springs did not surrender any runs outside of the third inning and struck out five over five frames but suffered his first loss of the season to fall to 0-1. Freshman Reed Howell continued to impress with three innings of one-hit relief to close the ballgame. In six innings this season, Howell has allowed only five hits and struck out seven, including four punch-outs on Friday.

Pierson collected one of Appalachian's four hits to reach base for the 37th-consecutive game. He came into the weekend tied for the third-longest on-base streak in the nation.

The Mountaineers look to even the three-game weekend series when they face Maryland on Saturday at 4 p.m.