On the arm of junior Ryan Moore and an offensive explosion, the Georgia State baseball team defeated Towson 15-5 on Sunday afternoon to clinch a berth into the 2009 CAA Championship in Wilmington, N.C., May 20-23. Moore threw a complete game, while the Panthers used timely hits to score 12 runs with two outs in the game.
The Panthers (32-20, 12-9 CAA) will have to wait a few more days to learn what seed they will be in Wilmington, as the other ten CAA members will play conference games later this week, beginning on Thursday. Georgia State could be as high as a two-seed in the tournament. In their previous two appearances in the tournament, they were the sixth and final seed each time.
Towson (27-23, 11-10 CAA) will be one of those teams in need of at least one win next week to clinch a spot in the tournament. Georgia State and No. 28 George Mason are the only two teams to have clinched a spot in the championship thus far.
“There are so many things that are special about today,” commented head coach Greg Frady after the game. “I want to say congratulations to all of the seniors who have worked so hard to make this happen. We have won more games in a four year stretch than with any other senior group in the history of the program. The way they played today, on the last day of conference, when they needed to play well, is allowing us to put ourselves in the best seeding position possible heading into the tournament.”
Ryan Moore threw 125 pitches in the complete game effort. The junior allowed 14 hits to the powerful Towson offense, but held the Tigers in check to just five runs, while striking out five, to improve to 6-1.
“It was a must win for us today,” commented Moore. “I just wanted to keep the game close and give our offense a chance and it worked out in the end. It took me a little while to figure Towson out as they are a very good team and I tip my hat to them for getting five runs off of me.”
The Panthers pounced on the Tigers early, scoring five times in the bottom of the first, all with two outs. Senior Marc Mimeault walked with the bases loaded to get the scoring started.
Freshman Brandon Williams followed with a single through the left side, scoring senior Matt Van Horn and junior Bradley Logan. After Joey Wood walked to reload the bases, senior Michael McCree singled to left field, scoring two more run as State went ahead by five.
Towson starter Wes Shifflett (2-3) did not get out of the first inning before being relieved by Nate Curd. Shifflett lasted two-thirds of an inning, allowing three hits and four walks, giving up five runs. The bullpen would settle things down long enough for the Tigers to get back into the game before State's offense came alive again.
The Tigers got one back in the top of the second, but senior Derek Simmons responded in the bottom of the second with his tenth home run of the season, a solo shot to right center.
Towson cut the deficit to three in the top of the third on three straight doubles by Chris Wychock, Aaron Grabrielian and Brian Wyman.
Gary Helmick led off the top of the fourth with a solo home run, cutting the deficit to two, before State scored three more in the bottom of the fourth and started to pull away.
Van Horn tripled, scoring Logan and Simmons to put State ahead, 8-4. A batter later, Van Horn scored on Mimeault's single to right field as State took a five-run lead.
Towson's Aaron Gabrielian hit a solo home run with one out in the top of the fifth, cutting the deficit to four, but that would be as close as the Tigers would get.
The Panthers opened the game wild-open in the bottom of the seventh, scoring six times, once again, all with two outs.
Simmons hit his second home run of the game and 11th of the season to start things off for State.
After Childers and Logan reached base, Van Horn singled to right field to clear the bases.
Van Horn finished the game 3-for-5 with three runs scored and four driven in.
Following a Mimeault single, Williams hit his first career home run to put the Panthers ahead and never look back.
“I feel like there definitely is a monkey off my back,” commented Williams after the home run. “We had to clinch today, so I am glad that it came at the perfect time. There have been times this year that we didn't put teams away when we had the chance and I am glad my home run, Matt's triple and everything else that our team did at the plate today allowed us to do that.”
Williams finished the game 2-for-4 with two runs scored and 5 RBIs.
Simmons finished the game 2-for-4 at the plate, with three runs scored. He finished the week with four home runs, batting over .500. Childers went 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored.
Logan finished the game with three runs scored, while Mimeault was 2-for-4 at the plate with a pair driven in.
The Panthers will look to tie the school record for wins, set just last year, when they return to action on Tuesday at 2 p.m. as Florida A&M makes the trip north to Atlanta. Live stats will be provided via GeorgiaStateSports.com.
