Freshman Bradley Logan had three RBIs and senior Charlie Pelt went 3-for-4 with an RBI, but the Georgia State baseball team fell 9-4 to Georgia Southern on Tuesday night in Statesboro, Ga.
The Panthers (20-21) fell behind early as three of the first four Georgia Southern batters scored in a three-run first inning for the home team. The Eagles scored an additional pair thanks to a wild pitch and a throwing error in the second to extend the advantage to 5-0.
State crept back into the game in a big way in the third by putting a three-spot of their own on the scoreboard. After sophomore Nick Pyron reached due to catchers interference to lead off the frame, Logan connected on an 0-2 pitch for a homer to right-center to pull the Panthers within three. Three batters later, Pelt connected for a solo blast - his 33rd career homer to pull State within a pair.
Georgia Southern (23-22) would respond with a run in the third and three more in the fifth to put the game away. The Panthers would come back with a run in the ninth as Logan drove in his third run of the game with a single back up the middle, plating sophomore Matt Van Horn who entered as a pinch hitter. But the lone run would not be enough as the Panthers fell 9-4.
Junior hurler Bobby Bennett took the loss for State, giving up eight runs (seven earned) in four-plus innings of work. Sophomore Dustin Carder worked three innings, giving up a single run on two hits with four strikeouts. Redshirt freshman David Ferrer worked a scoreless eighth.
Josh Lairsey earned the win for Georgia Southern by pitching eight innings and giving up three runs (one earned) on seven hits. Blake Nation pitched the ninth and gave up a run on two hits.
Pelt, Logan, and junior Luke Gordon combined for eight of State's nine hits, as with his three-hit evening, Pelt now needs three more base knocks to tie for the career mark in Panthers history in total hits. Pelt slid back in front of Gordon in the team batting average race, as the senior now has a .382 average compared to a .377 mark for the Tifton, Ga., native.
State will wrap up its longest road trip of the season when they face Georgia Southern in the second and final game of the series tomorrow. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.
