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Head Coach Greg Frady - Game One
Junior Aidan Francis
Junior Charley Olson
Sophomore Brandon Williams
Junior Jeremy Gazerro
Wilmington, N.C. - Behind a pair of solid pitching performances, the Georgia State baseball team swept a doubleheader from UNC Wilmington on Saturday afternoon at Brooks Field. Junior Aidan Francis allowed just two hits entering the ninth in the Panthers 11-4 game one win, while junior Charley Olson allowed just four hits in State's 1-0 game two shutout victory.
Francis (5-3) pitched 8.0 innings, allowing five hits and three runs, striking out five and walking three to earn the game one win. Olson (4-4) pitched 7.0 innings, holding the Seahawks scoreless, striking out five to earn the win in game two.
The wins came on the Panthers first trip back to Brooks Field since winning the CAA Championship last season, the first in school history.
With the wins, Georgia State improved to 29-17-1 overall and 12-4-1 in the CAA standings, just one game behind James Madison for first place. UNC Wilmington dropped to 25-23 overall and 10-10 in conference action. The Panthers, who entered the weekend ranked 19th in the latest SEBaseball.com Mid-Major Poll, are unbeaten in their last nine games, the longest stretch in school history. State is 15-2-1 over their last 18 games, including a 10-0-1 record in CAA games.
The Panthers lone run in game two came in the top of the second. Senior Bradley Logan led off the inning with a single to right and scored two batters later when sophomore Brandon Williams provided the third straight single of the inning, plating Logan to give State a 1-0 lead.
Seahawk starter Justin Bradley (2-1) lasted 6.0 innings, allowing five hits and the lone run. Bradley struck out six, but struggled with control and walked six to take the loss.
Junior Mark Micowski went 1-for-4 in the game. The native of Haddum, Conn. increased his team-high hit total to 80, the second most in a single season in Georgia State history. He is just five shy of teammate Bradley Logan's record of 85 set during the 2008 season.
Junior Jeremy Gazerro pitched the final 2.0 innings to earn his first career save. The Seahawks loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the ninth, but Gazerro was able to get a ground-out and fly-out to end any potential rally.
Wiliams went 2-for-3 at the plate with the Panthers lone RBI.
The win marked the Panthers second shut-out of the season.
Seth Frankoff pitched the final 3.0 innings for the Seahawks, allowing just one hit while striking out four.
In game one, the Panthers struck first with a pair of runs in the top of the first. Following a double-steal that put redshirt-junior Brett Maxwell on third and senior Carl Moniz on second, senior Bradley Logan popped up to right, but right fielder Alex Hill dropped the ball, allowing the Panthers to plate two runs and take a 2-0 lead.
Micowski, who led off the game with a single up the middle, singled deep in the hole to shortstop in the top of the second, scoring junior Rob Lind to extend the Panthers lead to 3-0.
Micowski finished game one 4-for-6 with two runs scored and three RBIs. With his 61st run scored, Micowski is just four back of Baine Brooks' 1984 record of 65 for the most in a season.
Junior Ryan Fleming doubled to right center in the top of the third, scoring Moniz to increase the Panthers lead to four. Two batters later, Lind singled, scoring Fleming, to give State a 5-0 lead.
Lind increased his team-leading batting average to .442, going 3-for-5 at the plate with two runs scored and an RBI.
After another run in the top of the fourth, an error by Seahawk Robbie Monday allowed junior Shane Hammond to score in the top of the sixth, increasing the Panthers lead to six. A batter later, Maxwell reached on a throwing error by the UNC Wilmington shortstop Michael Rooney, scoring sophomore Justin Malone give the Panthers an 8-0 lead.
Seahawk starter Cameron Roth (7-3) was relieved after 5.1 innings pitched, allowing eight hits and nine runs, only four of which were earned. Roth struck out five, walking three after facing 30 batters.
Andrew Harnage relieved Roth and gave up a sacrifice fly to Logan, scoring Micowski to give the Panthers a 9-0 lead.
State added another in the eighth and one more in the ninth as Francis continued to roll. The junior was relieved by Malone in the bottom of the ninth after allowing back-to-back home runs to Cody Stanley and Robbie Monday.
Malone allowed two hits and one run in relief, his 22nd appearances of the season.
Moniz finished the game 2-for-4 with two runs scored, while Logan went 0-for-3, but drove in three runs.
Ryan Moore will start the series finale for the Panthers on Sunday. First pitch against the Seahawks is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Brooks Field.
Following tomorrow's game, Panthers will return to the diamond on Tuesday, traveling to Athens to face Georgia at 6:30 p.m. The game will air live on WRAS-FM 88.5 beginning with the Panther Pregame Show at 6 p.m.
State returns home next Friday night at 6 p.m. as Northeastern travels to Atlanta. Tickets for the Panthers remaining six 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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