Senior Nick Hogan continued his hot play at the plate, but unfortunately it was not enough as the Georgia State baseball team fell to James Madison 8-6 on Saturday afternoon. Hogan went 2-for-4 at the plate, driving in two and scoring once in the loss.
The Panthers dropped out of second place in the CAA for the first time in almost a month. With the loss, State fell to 26-17 and 8-6 in CAA play, while James Madison, one of the hottest teams in the conference right now and winners of nine of their last ten games, improved to 26-18 and 10-7, moving a half-game ahead of State in the standings.
A day after JMU starter Turner Phelps held the Panthers to just two runs in a complete game effort, State got out of the gates quickly on Saturday, scoring three times in the top of the first.
Hogan led off the game with a walk and quickly scored when senior Derek Simmons singled to right. Simmons later scored on a junior Carl Moniz single to left. Moniz put the Panthers ahead 3-0 when senior Marc Mimeault doubled to left field.
The Dukes got two back in the bottom of the first as Trevor Knight took an 0-2 pitch over the center field wall, cutting the deficit to one.
State came right back in the top of the second as Hogan singled up the middle, scoring senior Michael McCree.
James Madison got to senior Will Palmer (3-4) again in the bottom of the fourth, scoring twice on a pair of singles.
Palmer would be chased in the fourth, scoring three times as sophomore Zach Chastain relieved the senior before he was able to get on out. Palmer lasted 4.0 innings, allowing eight hits and seven runs, while walking three and striking out three.
Chastain gave the Panthers a chance to get back into the game, allowing just three hits over 2.2 innings of relief.
Georgia State cut the deficit to one in the top of the eighth as McCree grounded out, scoring Mimeault and Hogan collected his second hit of the game, a single, scoring freshman Brandon Williams.
That would be as close as State would get, as the Dukes scored one more in the bottom of the eighth.
Evan Scott (5-3) earned the win for James Madison, pitching 6.0 innings, allowing seven hits and four runs, while striking out seven. Two Duke relievers closed out the game, allowing just two hits and a pair of runs.
Mimeault finished the game 2-for-3 with a run scored and RBI.
The Panthers and Dukes will conclude their three game series on Sunday with first pitch set for noon. Live stats will be available via GeorgiaStateSports.com.
