BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ? The Georgia State baseball rallied once to tie the game at three but was unable to rally again in the late innings and dropped a non-conference matchup against Samford 11-6 at Joe Lee Griffin Field. Derek Simmons went 2-for-3 with a double, home run and two RBIs to lead the State attack.
Samford (16-8) jumped ahead in the bottom of the first, pushing across three runs against State starter Drew Grant (3-3). With the bases loaded and nobody out, Grant got what appeared to be a double-play groundball but State was only able to turn one as the first run crossed the plate. Bear Burnett roped a double to left bringing in another run while Michael Rutledge scored on a wild pitch minutes later to give Samford a 3-0 lead.
The Panthers (17-10) clawed back a run in the third after Dusty Bennett led off the inning with a double to right field. Nick Hogan moved Bennett to third with a sacrifice bunt, and Jean-Michel Rochon-Salvas brought home the runner with a groundout to the shortstop.
In the fourth, State tied it up against Samford starter Michael Jarry. After Marc Mimeault walked, Derek Simmons blasted a ball to center field that tied the game at three.
The Bulldogs reclaimed the lead in the fifth after Michael Johnson lead off the frame with a double. Samford moved Johnson to third with a fly-ball out before Michael Marseco drove in the go-ahead run with a sac fly to right, giving SU a 4-3 lead. Samford tacked on two more runs in the sixth after a double to left center by Michael Rodriguez, taking a 6-3 lead.
The Samford offense exploded for five runs in the seventh. With runners on the corners, State reliever Adam Knight got a 6-4-3 double play before running into trouble. Knight gave up a single and walked a batter before Zach Chastain came to the mound for State. Chastain gave up a double to Tripp Swann that brought in two runs and later gave up a two-run homer to Rodriguez, putting Samford up 11-3.
The Panthers responded with three runs of their own in the top of the ninth. Mike McCree drove in the first run of the inning with a double to left field. Moments later, Bennett followed up with a double down the right field line to score McCree. Daniel Merck, who entered the game as a defensive replacement, came around to score when the right fielder's throw overshot the third base as State closed the margin to 11-6.
Greg Sides (2-0), who came in for Jarry at the start of the fifth picked up the win in relief after throwing three scoreless innings. Sides faced 11 batters and gave up three hits, but benefited from a Bulldog defense that turned two double plays.
“We got behind early and felt like we could never get control of the game. [Samford] played very good defense and turned some awesome double plays,” said head coach Greg Frady. “Derek Simmons and Dusty Bennett both hit the ball very well tonight, and we got some solid play off the bench, too. Mike McCree came in and delivered two hits and Daniel Merck made two very good defensive plays at third base.”
Simmons led the State offense, going 2-for-3 with a double, home run and two RBIs. McCree went 2-for-4 off the bench, driving in a run and scoring once while Bennett went 2-for-4 with two doubles, an RBI and a run scored.
Georgia State returns to action with a three-game Colonial Athletic Association series against William & Mary Friday-Sunday, April 4-6, at The Field at Panthersville.
NOTES: Zach Chastain saw his streak of scoreless innings snapped at 7.1 ... Bobby Bennett made his first pinch-hit appearance of the season in the ninth inning.
