ATLANTA- Two-sport standout Mark Hogan went 3-for-3 at the plate but the Georgia State baseball team dropped a 5-3 decision to Austin Peay Saturday afternoon at the GSU Baseball Complex to even the teams' series.
The Panthers (4-3) fought back from a 3-0 deficit to tie the game in the seventh, but allowed two runs in the final inning to the Governors (4-2).
In the bottom of the ninth, the Panthers had runners at the corners with one out, but could not bring in the tying scores against APSU closer Tyler Rogers, who earned his third save of the year.
GSU committed four errors defensively and totaled just five hits in defeat.
"We are playing a very good ball club and in a tight game it's going to come down to the team that makes the fewest mistakes," GSU head coach Greg Frady said. "We played hard today but I think some of our youth showed itself."
Panther starter Ben Marshall allowed just two hits through the first four innings, both balls that left the yard to center field on a breezy day. Marshall ended up going 5.0 innings, striking out six while allowing three runs on four hits.
Trailing 3-0 in the fifth inning, GSU began its run.
Drew Shields drove in the first Panther run with a beautifully-executed hit-and-run to score Hogan from second base, making it 3-1.
Then, freshman right-hander Jerry Stuckey relieved Marshall with a scoreless sixth and seventh, allowing the Panthers a chance to pull back even. GSU loaded the bases with nobody out in the seventh, then Kody Adams brought home Caden Bailey on a fielder's choice and Roy Seltenrijch scored on a wild pitch by APSU reliever Mike Hebert, tying the game, 3-3.
Stuckey (0-1) remained in the game until the ninth, when two hits and defensive errors aided the Governors in pushing across two unearned runs for the game's final scores. Govs reliever Mike Hebert (1-0) picked up the win with two shutout innings.
Hogan, a redshirt-junior from Matthews, N.C., is now 4-for-8 at the plate with two runs scored in his first season with the Panther baseball team. He is GSU's first scholarship football player and a leading tackler at linebacker on the gridiron.
Georgia State and Austin Peay decide their three-game series with a 1 p.m. Sunday tilt at the GSU Baseball Complex. Panther senior Tyler Claburn makes his second start of the year.
"Tyler is an important part of our staff right now," says Frady. "He has the type of stuff that can beat anybody and I know he'll show up tomorrow and give his very best effort."
