ATLANTA-Brett Maxwell homered twice and five Georgia State pitchers combined for a shutout as the Panthers (21-6) blanked Florida A&M, 16-0, Tuesday at the Field at Panthersville.
GSU starter Will Campbell improved to 6-0 on the season to tie for the NCAA lead in victories, equaling Georgia Tech's Mark Pope and three other pitchers. In a designated "staff" game, Campbell allowed just two hits in three scoreless innings while striking out five and walking only one.
The Panthers staff recorded 12 total strikeouts while holding the Rattlers (8-21) to just six hits. The Colonial Athletic Association's top unit lowered its ERA to 4.13 in recording its fourth shutout on the season, the most by any Panther club in a single season since 1982.
Maxwell, who entered Tuesday's game ranked second in batting in the CAA, raised his season average to .432 by going 4-for-5 with four RBIs, including two solo home runs and a double. Rob Lind also homered for the Panthers while Theo Asher drove in four runs on three hits, including a three-run double. Daniel Blaustein added two hits and a walk.
"We played some really good offensive baseball tonight," head coach Greg Frady said. "In general, we played great as a team and everyone had a positive contribution to the game."
The Panthers improve to 17-3 at home on the season and have now racked up double-digit hits in 13 straight games.
After belting his first homer of the season in the sixth inning, Maxwell repeated the feat just one inning later to record the first multiple home run game of his Panther career.
"It just so happens that it was my night," said the senior from Douglasville, Ga. "I like to think every time I step in the box, I'm going to put a good swing on it and hit it hard somewhere, every time up."
Maxwell becomes the third Panther to homer multiple times in the same game this season, joining fellow seniors Lind and Ryan Fleming.
Jeremy Gazerro, Sam Agnew-Wieland, Nick Squeglia and Jake Dyer combined to throw six shutout innings in relief of Campbell Tuesday night, allowing just four hits and striking out seven.
"I think tonight reflected what we're all about and we got back to playing the type of baseball we want to play," Frady said.
The Panthers return to conference action this weekend with their first CAA road trip of the season at Delaware Friday through Sunday. First pitch in Newark, Del., on Friday is slated for 3 p.m.
