Wilmington, N.C. - Three errors proved too much for the Panthers to overcome on Sunday afternoon as UNC Wilmington took the final game of a three-game series with the Georgia State baseball team, 8-3 at Brooks Field. State secured the series victory with a doubleheader sweep of the Seahawks on Saturday afternoon.
With the loss, Georgia State dropped to 29-18-1 overall and 12-5-1 in the CAA standings. UNC Wilmington, looking to climb back among the top four to qualify for the CAA Championship at Brooks Field in three weeks, improved to 26-23 overall and 11-10 in conference action. The Panthers stand just 1.5 games behind James Madison for first place in the CAA with two weekends of play remaining.
It marked just the third Panthers' loss in the last 19 games, including a 10-1-1 record in CAA games. The loss also ended the Panthers longest unbeaten streak in school history which stood at nine games. Georgia State was 8-0-1 over that stretch with only a VCU tie keeping the record unblemished.
Grayson Evans gave the Seahawks a 1-0 lead with a solo home run over the center field wall to lead off the bottom of the second inning.
Later in the inning, Rhett Miller singled to center, scoring Cameron Cockman and Michael Rooney on a pair of unearned runs to give UNC Wilmington a 3-0 lead.
After recording a pair of quick outs in the bottom of the third, the Seahawks struck for four more runs, only one of which was earned as a second Panther error proved costly.
Hunter Ridge singled to right field, scoring Evans who doubled to left earlier in the inning, giving the Seahawks a 4-0 lead.
A handful of batters later, Cockman blasted a three-run home run over the left field wall to give UNC Wilmington a seven-run lead, before the Panthers mounted their lone rally of the day in the fourth.
Sophomore Brandon Williams doubled to right center with two outs, plating junior Jonathan Kolowich to give State its first run of the game. It was Williams' 63rd RBI of the season, tied for the third most in school history and just seven shy of Jay Langston's school record of 70 set during the 1999 season.
A batter later, sophomore Daniel Blaustein pinch-hit for junior Rob Lind and reached on a throwing error by shortstop Michael Rooney, scoring Williams and junior Ryan Fleming to cut the Seahawks lead to 7-3. Unfortunately, that was the closest the Panthers would get as the Seahawk pitching staff held the NCAA's number one offense to just six hits.
Panther starter Ryan Moore (2-2) was relieved after 6.0 innings, allowing 12 hits and seven runs, only two of which were earned. He struck out two, while walking three to earn his second loss of the year.
Seahawk starter Tyler McSwain (4-3) earned the win after pitching 7.0 innings, allowing just five hits and three runs, only one of which was earned. McSwain struck out two and walked three for the victory.
The Seahawks added one more in the bottom of the eighth on a home run by Cody Stanley, his 10th of the season.
Junior Mark Micowski went 1-for-5 at the plate, collecting his 81st hit of the year. Micowski is now just four shy of teammate Bradley's Logan school record of 85 set during the 2008 season.
Stephen Harrold and Bryan Booth combined to pitch the final two innings for the Seahawks, allowing just one hit and two walks.
Cody Stanley finished 3-for-4 at the plate to lead the UNC Wilmington offense.
The 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 on 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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