PANTHERSVILLE, Ga.--Senior pitcher Jeramy Compton pitched 8.1 innings and gave up just one run, but that run proved to be the difference as the Georgia State baseball team (21-24, 10-11) fell 1-0 to James Madison (19-26, 9-13) in Colonial Athletic Association action from The Field.
"It was a tough game to lose, but it was one of the best played games of the year," said Panthers head coach Greg Frady. "I'm disappointed in the outcome, but you have to take your hat off to their pitcher (Jacob Cook) who pitched a great game as well."
James Madison scored the only run of the game in the first on a two-out homer to center by Kellen Kulbacki, his 18th of the season.
The Panthers had more opportunities to score as they outhit the Dukes 7-5, but two costly baserunning plays ended rallies. In the second, Kenny Camp tripled down the line in right and stood at third with one out. Chase Childers stood at the plate and hit a bouncer towards second. Camp was running on contact and with the infield in, Joe Lake was able to throw home for the Dukes to retire a sliding Camp.
In the fourth, the Panthers had Aeden McQueary on first and Charlie Pelt on second after a walk and a single. With a full count, the runners were put in motion with one out. But a swinging strikeout by Camp and a caught stealing at third on Pelt ended the rally.
State had another opporutnity in the sixth with two men on and one out after back-to-back singles by Luke Gordon and Pelt. But State couldn't get anyone over, as a foul out and a strikeout ended the frame.
The last chance for the Panthers came in the ninth as Aeden McQueary singled with one out and advanced to second on a fielder's choice. But JMU closer Bobby Lasko was able to finish the job by getting a ground out to end the game.
Compton fell to 1-5 on the year after giving up just one run on five hits while striking out five and walking one. "One of the things I was able to do well was keep the ball down in the strike zone," said the righty who pitched his longest outing of the season. "A lot of things went my way for me today, because they hit a lot of balls right at people instead of little bloopers that have dropped in the past few times I've been out there."
Cook (5-4) went 8.1 innings as well, giving up six hits and one walk. Cook fanned six batters before giving way to Lasko, who earned his eighth save of the season.
The Panthers will return to action this Friday in a CAA series against Hofstra. Game time is set for 6:00 p.m. at The Field.
