The Georgia State baseball team earned a sweep of VCU on Sunday afternoon with a 5-4 win over the Rams, inching closer to qualifying for the CAA conference tournament which now stands a little over two weeks away.
With the win, Georgia State improved 29-18 and 11-7 in the CAA, while VCU fell to 19-20 and 7-11 in CAA action. Pending the outcome of Towson's game with Hofstra later today, the Panthers could be just a win or Tiger loss away for qualifying as one of the top six teams who will head to Wilmington, N.C., May 20-23. The two teams will meet in Atlanta next weekend for a three-game series beginning on Friday.
“This was a great day for our baseball team,” commented head coach Greg Frady. “We were able to bounce back this weekend after a tough series at James Madison last weekend and to earn the sweep really showed the character of this team.”
Senior Robinson Polanco, normally the Friday night starter, earned his second save in as many days, throwing a perfect ninth.
“I am very proud of Robinson,” stated Frady afterwards. “Robinson is a great team player and a very mature player. I have confidence in Robinson as a pitcher. Just because he is not in the starting rotation for us, doesn't mean we think he can't pitch. Sometimes, you just have to make changes for the sake of change since things were not going the way we wanted them to. His pitching helped us secure two big wins this weekend.”
“I am really just trying to do whatever the coaches ask me to do,” commented Polanco after the game. “I love starting, but they gave me a chance to relieve and I really enjoyed doing it. A little bit of pressure really got me going and when they gave me the opportunity, I knew I had to get the job done to help out the team.”
Senior Nick Hogan extended his hitting streak to seven games in the top of the first with a single to lead-off the game. After stealing second, Hogan scored on a Chase Childers groundout, giving the Panthers a 1-0 lead.
Panther starter Ryan Moore (5-1) got out of his first jam of the game in the top of the third. After VCU loaded the bases, Moore got M.L. Morgan to fly out to Matt Van Horn in right field. The senior threw out Matt Leskiw at the plate and then caught the final out of the inning as Doug Otto popped up to the right fielder.
State extended their lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the fourth. Junior Bradley Logan led off the inning with a walk and scored on a Marc Mimeault single. Mimeault extended his hitting streak to seven games and is hitting .385 on the season.
Mimeault later scored on sophomore Theo Asher's single to right.
The Rams finally got to Moore in the top of the fifth. Matt Leskiw scored VCU's first run of the game as Andrew Dimino tripled to right center. Dimino later scored on a M.L. Morgan sacrifice fly to center, cutting the deficit to one.
State came right back with two in the bottom half of the inning. Childers walked and later scored as Logan doubled off the wall, which ended the day for Ram starter Phillip Deane.
Deane (2-4) lasted 4.2 innings, allowing five hits and five runs, while walking three.
Van Horn followed with a single, scoring Logan as the Panthers extended their lead to three for the second time of the game.
VCU struck back in the top of the sixth as Justin Wright hit a two-run home run over the right field wall, cutting the Panther lead back to just one run, where it would stay.
Sophomore Will Campbell relieved Moore, who went 5.1 innings, allowing eight hits and four runs for the victory.
Campbell threw 2.2 innings of hitless relief before Polanco closed out the game.
Asher went 2-for-3 at the plate, while Logan led the team with two runs scored.
Georgia State will continue their 10-game home-stand on Tuesday as Samford makes the trip across I-20 for a 6 p.m. contest. The game will air live on WRAS-FM 88.5 beginning at 5:30 p.m. with Panther Sports Talk. Live stats will be available via GeorgiaStateSports.com.
