The Georgia State baseball team finally got their bats going again and took it out on Bethune Cookman Sunday afternoon in the final game of the Bethune Cookman University Invitational. The Panthers (8-4) used a relative offensive explosion to defeat the host Wildcats, 8-6.
State had scored just seven runs in its previous four games, going 1-3 over that stretch.
“I am really proud of the team today,” commented Head Coach Greg Frady. “It was a hard fought game and we were able to will our way to victory. This is a great way to finish the trip and I know we can use it as momentum as we move forward.”
Sophomore Brandon Williams led the Panthers at the plate, going 3-for-3, while senior Marc Mimeault added another three and junior Carl Moniz a pair of hits. Moniz also scored three times.
“I have been hitting leadoff for the last couple of years and I really like that spot,” commented Moniz. “With everybody behind me building off of that confidence, we were really able to get things going today and I know get our swagger back.”
Senior Matt Van Horn extended his hitting streak to 11 straight games with a pinch hit single in the top of the eighth.
Georgia State got things going in the first when Moniz singled to right field. Senior Michael McCree followed that with another single to right and after junior Bradley Logan walked, the Panthers had the bases loaded with no outs.
Sophomore Jonathan Kolowich hit a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Moniz to put the Panthers up 1-0, but the Wildcats would be able to get out the inning without allowing another run.
State would get on the board again in the second. Mimeault would single down the right field line to lead off the inning. Brandon Williams would follow that with a single to left field, before senior Chase Childers dropped a perfect bunt to advance the runners. Sophomore Aaron Schmitz would hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Mimeault to put the Panthers ahead, 2-0.
The Panthers would score again in the third as senior Derek Simmons doubled deep to right field, scoring McCree who had walked to lead off the inning.
State extended their lead with a bizarre fourth inning. After singles by Williams and Schmitz, as well as a walk to Moniz to get things going, Wildcat starter Ali Simpson would be relieved by Andrew Tilka.
Simpson (2-1) would last just 3.1 innings, allowing seven hits, six runs, four of which were earned, walking three and striking out four.
With the bases loaded, McCree would appear to ground out to the Wildcat second baseman, Jairo Acevedo, however Acevedo, attempting a double play, threw the ball into the Wildcat bullpen, clearing the bases and giving Georgia State a 6-0 lead.
Bethune Cookman would get on the board in the bottom of the fifth as Patrick Jones hit a solo home run over the left field wall.
Moniz would extend the lead back to six with a solo home run in the top of the sixth, his second of the season.
After the Wildcats (8-6) added a run in the bottom of the sixth, State would score again in the top of the seventh. The Panthers would start the inning with back to back walks to Simmons and Mimeault. Williams would single to center, scoring Simmons and putting State ahead 8-2.
Sophomore Aidan Francis would relieve starter Will Palmer (2-2) heading into the bottom of the seventh. Palmer finished the game with 6.0 innings pitched, striking out four, while just allowing two runs.
Francis would only last 0.2 innings, allowing three hits and four runs as the Wildcats scored four in the bottom of the seventh to cut the deficit to two at 8-6. In the same inning, Logan made his first pitching appearance of the season, walking a pair of Wildcat batters before striking out Jones to end the inning.
Logan would pitch the eighth and ninth for his first save of the season, finishing with three strikeouts.
Georgia State will conclude their six-game road trip on Tuesday as the Panthers take on Florida A&M in Tallahassee with first pitch set for 3:00 p.m. The Panthers will return home to face Augusta State on Wednesday at 5:00 p.m.
