Richmond, Va. - The Georgia State baseball team rallied from down seven runs with seven outs to play and tied VCU on Sunday afternoon at The Diamond. Due to the CAA's curfew rule, which assures the visiting team's travel plans remain on schedule, the two teams were only able to play one extra inning and were just two minutes shy of not being able to play any. The coaches had agreed that no inning could start after 4:30 p.m. prior to the game.
State trailed 13-6 with just seven outs remaining, but scored eight times over the final two-plus innings to tie the game and send it to extra innings. With the bizarre ending, it was only appropriate that the tying run score in a bizarre fashion.
With two outs, a 3-1 count to junior Jonathan Kolowich and runners on first and second in the top of the ninth, head coach Greg Frady put on a double steal with sophomore Brandon Williams on second and junior Rob Lind on first. After an outside pitch walked Kolowich, VCU catcher Nathan Furry's throw to catch Williams stealing third was off mark, sending Williams home to tie the game.
Neither team got a runner past first in the tenth before the game was called. Georgia State, which had already secured the series on Saturday, has now not lost in 10 straight games to the Rams. The Panthers return to Atlanta 23-17-1 and 7-4-1 in the CAA. VCU, which led the conference by one-half game entering the day, now stands 22-17-1 overall and 11-3-1 in conference.
The Panthers were 4.5 games back of first place when they arrived in Richmond, but now stand only 2.5 games out of the top stop halfway through conference action.
For the third straight game, the Panthers struck early, scoring two in the top of the first. Junior Mark Micowski led off the game with a single to left, which was followed by a bunt single by redshirt-junior Brett Maxwell. Each scored on an error by the Furry to give the Panthers an early 2-0 lead.
Micowski led the Panthers at the plate, going 4-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBIs.
VCU responded with one in the bottom half of the inning, followed by another in the bottom half of the second to tie the game, 2-2.
Senior Bradley Logan, who already had a record-setting weekend, responded for the Panthers in the top of the third with a two-run home run over the left field wall to give State a 4-2 lead. The home run was Logan's tenth of the season. After setting the school career at bats record on Friday night and the hits record on Saturday, Logan's 37th career home run puts him just eight shy of tying the school's all-time mark.
Logan went 3-for-5 at the plate with three runs scored and two driven in.
With the bases loaded in the top of the fourth, redshirt-sophomore Joey Wood reached on a fielder's choice, scoring sophomore Justin Malone to give State a 5-2 lead. A batter later, Micowski scored on an error by the catcher, giving the Panthers a four-run lead.
Errors proved costly for VCU all weekend. After four errors on Friday night led to the Panthers to a victory in the opening game of the series, the Rams had six on Sunday, allowing the Panthers several extra opportunities to score.
VCU's offense came alive with six runs in the fifth to take an 8-6 and added five more in the bottom of the sixth, taking a commanding 13-6 lead.
Georgia State, which leads the NCAA in batting average and runs scored, showed why its offense is so potent, mounting its rally, having now lost only twice in its last 10 games.
Micowski singled to left in the bottom of the seventh, scoring junior Rob Lind to cut VCU's lead to 13-7. A batter later, junior Ryan Fleming entered the game as a pinch-hitter and singled to center, scoring junior Shane Hammond to cut the deficit to five.
Williams helped cut the deficit to four with s single to right field in the top of the eighth, scoring Logan. A batter later, Lind flied out to deep left, scoring Moniz as VCU's lead was cut to 13-9.
Micowski and Fleming each followed with singles to center, scoring Williams and Kolowich to shrink the Rams lead to one.
After VCU responded with one in the bottom half of the inning, the Panthers collected two in the top of the ninth to send it to extra innings.
The Panthers finished the game belted out 20 hits, as Maxwell, Fleming, Moniz, Williams and Malone each collected a pair of hits.
Neither starting pitcher lasted more than 4.0 innings. Senior Ryan Moore pitched 4.0 innings for the Panthers, allowing six hits and seven runs. VCU's Michael Graham lasted 3.0 innings, allowing eight hits and six runs, only four of which were earned.
Sophomore Nick Squeglia pitched the final 3.0 innings, holding the Rams to just two hits while striking out six.
The Panthers return home to face Alabama State on Wednesday afternoon at 5 p.m. Tickets for the game, as well as all remaining home games can be purchased by calling 1-866-GA-STATE or by visiting GeorgiaStateSports.com.
-www.GeorgiaStateSports.com-
