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Head Coach Greg Frady
Senior Carl Moniz
Junior Aidan Francis
ATLANTA - Junior Aidan Francis pitched 7.2 innings of no-hit ball in a Friday night pitchers' dual, but it was Carl Moniz' walk-off single in the 10th inning that gave the Georgia State baseball team a 3-2 win over William & Mary. The win kept the Panthers hopes alive of winning its first regular season conference championship.
With runners on first and second following back-to-back walks to sophomore Justin Malone and junior Mark Micowski, Moniz drove a 0-1 count pitch to the left field wall, scoring Malone, who also earned the win in relief.
Francis struck out a career-high 12, not allowing a hit until the Tribe's Derrick Osteen reached on a 2-1 count bunt in the top of the eighth. Francis was relieved by junior Jeremy Gazerro after giving up back-to-back hits.
Malone (4-1) pitched 2.0 innings, allowing three hits to get the win.
Jay McCarthy (2-4) allowed the game-winning hit in relief of Davenport, going 1.2 innings and allowing two hits and the winning run.
Matt Davenport pitched equally as well for William & Mary, allowing two hits and striking out seven in 8.0 inning of work. Davenport allowed just two hits, but walked four.
With the win, Georgia State improved to 32-21-1 overall and 15-6-1 in CAA action. William & Mary fell to 27-22 overall, 10-12 in conference action and was eliminate from any chance of reaching the CAA Championship next week. With VCU's afternoon win over James Madison and the Dukes winning the nightcap, the Panthers moved to within one game of the Dukes for first place.
Georgia State improved to 21-6 at home this season, including a 9-1 mark in conference games. If State were to sweep, it would tie for the most home wins in a single year, set during the 2008 season. The Panthers have already clinched the best home winning percentage in school history entering this weekend's action.
"Tonight was exciting and just a great team win for us," commented head coach Greg Frady. "In the end, I think everybody did a great job and did what they needed to do. Carl Moniz came through with a huge hit and Aidan Francis pitched us deep in the game. It was just a classic conference win."
Junior Theo Asher got the first run on the board with a single to center in the bottom of the seventh, scoring sophomore Daniel Blaustein, who had reached on a walk.
With two outs in the bottom of the eighth, redshirt-junior Brett Maxwell reached on a walk and advanced two bases a batter later on a failed pick-off attempt by Davenport. After senior Carl Moniz was intentionally walked, Frady called a double-steal that worked to perfection, scoring Maxwell to give the Panthers a 2-0 lead.
The Tribe tied the game in the top of the ninth. Tadd Bower walked to lead off the inning and scored two batters later on a sacrifice fly by Jackson Shaver. A batter later, Ryan Williams doubled down the right field line to tie the game and eventually sending it to extra innings.
William & Mary's Stephen Arcure went 2-for-5 at the plate, the only player on either team to collect more than one hit.
The two teams will return to the field on Saturday afternoon. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. as Charley Olson takes to the mound for the Panthers. If VCU defeats James Madison on Saturday in Richmond, Va. and the Panthers can sweep the final two games, State will wins its first regular season conference championship.
Tickets for the Panthers remaining two 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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