Wake Forest University
Appalachian State
Deacons Rally in Eighth to Beat App State, 11-8
3/25/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Final Stats | Final Stats (PDF) 
By Jay Garneau, Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@WakeBaseball)
BOONE, N.C. - Trailing by four runs, Wake Forest scored seven times in the eighth to earn a wild come-from-behind victory over Appalachian State, 11-8, at Smith Stadium on Wednesday night.
With the Mountaineers (7-18) leading 8-4, Justin Yurchak doubled and Stuart Fairchild singled with one out, before a strikeout accounted for the second Wake Forest (17-10) out of the inning.
Kevin Conway pinch hit for his first at bat in a week and a half, singling home Yurchak to make it 8-5.
Then, Bruce Steel hit a ball to the right-field wall, which was dropped by the right fielder and two runs scored, making it 8-7.
Jonathan Pryor knotted up the game at 8-8 with an RBI single to bring home Steel.
After Joey Rodriguez was hit by a pitch and Nate Mondou beat out an infield single, Will Craig drilled a bases-clearing triple to the right-field wall, the first of his career, to put the Demon Deacons in front for good.
In the bottom of the eighth, converted third baseman Joe Napolitano pitched for the second time in his career, working with Zach Piazza, catching for the first time in his career. The duo combined for a scoreless inning.
Connor Johnstone shut down the Mountaineers in the bottom of the ninth to pick up his first-career save.
Max Tishman tossed a scoreless seventh inning to earn his first win of the season, improving to 1-0.
Fairchild led the Demon Deacon offense by going 3-for-4 with a walk, RBI and two runs scored.
Pryor and Sheets also finished with two hits apiece. Parker Johnson put the pitching staff on the right track by getting the Deacons out of further danger in the sixth inning.
App State was led by Michael Pierson, who went 3-for-4 with a homer, three RBIs, three runs scored and a pair of walks.
FIRST CAREER...
• Zach Piazza not only played his first game behind the plate, he also drilled his first collegiate hit in his only at bat.
• Will Craig's first collegiate triple came on his 35th career extra-base hit.
• Connor Johnstone tossed a scoreless ninth for his first-career save.
COMEBACK KIDS
• The eighth-inning comeback marked the first time the Demon Deacons have won a game when trailing after the seventh inning.
• The Demon Deacons scored all seven runs with two outs, recording six hits in the inning.
ON DECK
• Wake Forest hits the road for another ACC series, traveling to Clemson from March 27-29.
• All three games in that series will be broadcast live on ESPN3.
