Georgia State baseball's seniors were honored Tuesday night in front of a large crowd at The Field at Panthersville, but three unearned runs cost the Panthers a chance at victory as the home team fell 6-4 to Furman.
A 15-minute ceremony honoring the seniors in addition to Georgia State volleyball's Michelle Trimble for being the first recipient of the Stoney Burgess Athletic Memorial Endowed Scholarship preceeded the evening's game.
After the game started, Furman took advantage of a costly two-base Georgia State error to score three runs in the second inning to open up a 3-0 lead.
The Panthers came back with the first of three hits on the evening by senior Eric Suttle. Suttle launched a 1-0 offering from J.P. Goldsberry down the line in left for a solo homer to pull State within two.
Twice in the game Furman scored runs in an inning without the benefit of a hit. In the sixth, a walk to Will Stembridge, a stolen base, a throwing error, and a wild pitch enabled Furman to extend the lead to 4-1. In the seventh, a walk to Joey Rodgers, a sacrifice bunt, a stolen base, and a ground out let the Paladins add another marker to their tally. Charlie Bailes drove in the final run of the game for Furman in the top of the eighth with a two-out RBI single to right.
The Panthers mounted a rally in the bottom of the eighth with three unearned runs of their own. Senior Aeden McQueary reached on an error to start the inning, then moved to third on sophomore Chase Childers' single through the right side of the infield. The senior would score on freshman Bradley Logan's sacrifice fly. With two out, Suttle got his third hit of the game with an infield hit. Junior Jean-Michel Rochon-Salvas connected for career hit #195 with a double to center, plating Childers and Suttle to cut the gap to 6-4.
State continued to press the issue, as senior Charlie Pelt connected for his second hit of the game; a solid single to right field that put runners on the corners. But with a full count and facing new pitcher Nicholas Karow, junior Luke Gordon struck out to end the threat. Karow would allow a hit to Childers in the ninth but would retire the side to earn his third save of the year.
Goldsberry (3-1) earned the win under the "whole staff" scorer's descretion. The Furman starter gave up a run in three innings of work.
Robert Hasenfelt took the loss for State, going a season-high five innings in his third start of the year. He allowed one earned run on four hits while striking out five Paladins.
The Panthers will travel Wednesday to Baltimore, Md., and will take on Towson University in a three-game CAA series beginning Thursday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. If the Panthers win two games in the series, they will be guaranteed a spot in next week's CAA Championships.
