Audio
Head Coach Greg Frady
Junior Aidan Francis
Sophomore Brandon Williams
ATLANTA - Junior Aidan Francis earned his fourth straight CAA series opening win as the Georgia State baseball team scored eight runs in their final two at bats for a 10-3 win over Northeastern on Friday night at the Field at Panthersville.
Francis (6-3) pitched into the eighth inning, allowing just eight hits and three runs while striking out six and walking just one batter to earn the victory.
Senior Bradley Logan played in his 222nd career game and moved ahead of Josh Vandiver (1999-2002) for the most games played in a Panther uniform. The Augusta, Ga. native now owns 11 school career records and is the winningest player to put on a GSU uniform, collecting his 128th win on Friday night.
The Panthers earned their 30th victory of the season in just 50 games, tied for the second fewest in school history. Georgia State improved to 30-19-1 overall and 13-5-1 in the CAA. State has been red-hot over the last five weeks, going 16-4-1 in its last 21 games, including an 11-1-1 mark in CAA games.
Northeastern dropped to 11-27 overall and 4-15 in CAA action. The Panthers stand just 1.5 games behind James Madison for first place in the CAA with five games remaining on the schedule.
David Gustafson belted his second home run of the season in the top of the first to give the Huskies a 1-0 lead, but State quickly responded in the bottom half of the inning.
Junior Mark Micowski struck out swinging, but reached on a passed ball and three batters later scored on senior Bradley Logan's singled up the middle to tie the game.
Micowski finished 1-for-4 on the evening with three runs scored. The Haddam, Conn. native has now scored 65 runs this season which is tied with Baine Brooks (1984) for the most in a single season. He is also just one hit shy of Bradley Logan's 2008 single season hits record of 85 with six regular season games remaining.
Gustafson struck again in the top of the third, doubling to left center to score Matt Miller from first and give the Huskies a 2-1 lead.
In the top of the sixth, Gustafson led off the inning with a walk and two batters later scored when Frank Compagnone doubled down the left field line to give Northeastern a 3-1 lead.
State got one back in the bottom half of the inning as junior Ryan Fleming led off the inning with a single up the middle. Junior Rob Lind followed with a double down the left field line to cut the Huskies lead to one.
Sophomore Daniel Blaustein pinch-hit for senior Carl Moniz in the bottom of the seventh and delivered a clutch two-RBI double to left center, scoring Micowski and sophomore Justin Malone to give the Panthers a 4-3 lead that would not be relinquished.
A pair of Northeastern errors in the bottom of the eighth led to six Georgia State runs, allowing the Panthers to blow the game open and take a 10-3 lead, before the Huskies scored four in the top of the ninth and got the tying run to the on-deck circle.
Justin Malone got the final four outs, earning his fifth save of the season.
Northeastern starter Les Williams (3-4) took the loss after pitching 6.0 innings, allowing seven hits and four runs, only three of which were earned. Williams struck out five and walked two.
Huskies' reliever Dan Zehr allowed six hits and six runs in just 1.1 innings pitched.
Juniors Jonathan Kolowich and Ryan Fleming each added a pair of hits, while sophomore Brandon Williams went 3-for-5 at the plate with two RBIs. Williams is just four runs batted in shy of Jay Langston's school-record of 70 set during the 1999 season.
The two teams will return to the field on Saturday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. as Charley Olson will take to the mound for the Panthers. As a reminder to fans, Sunday's series finale has been moved up to a noon start.
Tickets for the Panthers remaining five home games can be purchased by calling 1-866-GA-STATE or by visiting GeorgiaStateSports.com. Live stats of all Panther games are provided via GeorgiaStateSports.com.
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