ATLANTA - Despite a 4-for-5 day from redshirt-sophomore Joey Wood at the plate, four Panther errors led Air Force to a 7-6 win over Georgia State on Sunday afternoon at the Field at Panthersville. The loss snapped the Panthers seven-game winning streak.
With the loss, Georgia State fell to 21-16 on the season, Air Force improved to 8-26. The Panthers were just one win shy of tying the school's record winning streak of eight, set three times, most recently at the end of the 2009 regular season. It was also State's second seven-game winning streak of the season.
Wood, who has been red-hot at the plate over the last week, going 8-for-15 in his last five games, raised his batting average to .423 on the season, one of five Panther starters batting over .400 this year.
Senior Bradley Logan continued to climb the Georgia State all-time hits list, going 3-for-5 to up his career total to 265 hits. He needs just two more hits to tie Jean-Michel Rochon-Salvas for the most all-time in a Panther uniform.
Air Force took an early 2-0 on back-to-back singles by Garrett Custons and Matthew Roberts in the top of the first, but it would be short-lived.
The Panthers mounted a two-out rally in the bottom of the second, tying the game at two. Junior Rob Lind singled home sophomore Brandon Williams. Junior Shane Hammond followed with a single up the middle, plating Lind to tie the game.
Falcon Alex Bast doubled down the left field line, scoring Nathan Carter in the top of the fourth, to put Air Force ahead 3-2. K.J. Randhawa followed with a single up the middle, scoring Bast to give the Falcons another two-run lead.
The Panthers loaded the bases in the bottom half of the inning and cut the deficit to one when Lind popped up to deep left, scoring Logan.
With Logan at bat in the bottom of the fifth, Wood scored on a wild pitch from third to tie the game 4-4. Logan followed with a single to center, scoring senior Carl Moniz to put the Panthers ahead 5-4.
Air Force responded with two runs in the top of the sixth. Alex Bast doubled down the right field line to tie the game at five. Randhawa followed with a single to center, plating Bast and giving the Falcons a 6-5 lead.
Lind led off the bottom of the sixth with a solo home run to right center, his seventh of the year, tying the game for the third time.
Senior Ryan Moore, who made the start for the Panthers, lasted 6.1 innings, allowing nine hits and six runs, while striking out seven, but did not factor into the decision.
Nathan Carter led off the top of the eighth with a double down the line and advance to third on an error. Adam Hill grounded out to shortstop to give the Falcons a one-run lead which proved to be the differnce.
Falcon starter Sean Carley (2-3) earned the win, pitching 7.1 innings, allowing 15 hits, but just six runs and striking out two.
Air Force closer Evan Abrecht pitched a perfect ninth to record his first save of the season.
Junior Aidan Francis (2-3) pitched the final 2.2 innings in relief for State, allowing just two hits and one run, but it proved to be the costly one and he was credited with the loss.
Randhawa led the Falcons at the plate, going 3-for-5 with two RBIs.
Lind finished the game 2-for-4 at the plate with two runs scored and a pair of RBIs.
Georgia State will return to the field on Wednesday to take on Mercer. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. The game will air live on WRAS-FM 88.5 beginning with the Panther Pregame Show at 5:30 p.m.
Tickets for Wednesday's game, as well as the remaining home games, can be purchased by calling 1-866-GA-STATE. Fans can also log on to the web at GeorgiaStateSports.com or visit any Ticketmaster location.
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