Hempstead, N.Y.- Facing the nation's leading base-stealers, Panther catcher Scott Sarratt threw out five Hofstra runners while singling and scoring on offense but the Georgia State baseball team dropped a 6-2 decision to the Pride at University Field Saturday.
The Panther pitching staff yielded 17 hits on the day and could not erase enough on the base paths as Hofstra (16-12, 8-3 CAA) improved to 6-0 at home on the year with the Colonial Athletic Association win.
GSU (14-18, 5-6) starter Ben Marshall (3-3) was tagged for the loss after yielding 12 hits and four runs over six innings, striking out one.
Hofstra's John Tiedemann (4-3) was one out shy of pitching a complete game, allowing two runs with five strikeouts over 8.2 innings.
After the Pride scored four times over the first four innings, Sarratt singled and scored on Joel Van Asch's RBI hit in the fifth inning as the Panthers trimmed the deficit to 4-1.
Hofstra added to its lead with two runs in the bottom of the eighth against the Panther bullpen.
GSU then loaded the bases in the ninth inning against Tiedemann with one out after Caden Bailey's second single of the game. After Sarratt struck out, the Panthers stayed alive as Greg Bowder knocked an infield single to score Kody Adams, making it 6-2. Hofstra reliever Brett Schreiber then took the mound and picked up his first save of the year by getting a ground ball from Van Asch to end the game.
The Panthers fell to 1-11 on the road this year with the loss.
Drew Shields and Bailey finished with two hits apiece to lead the GSU attack. Senior Brandon Williams' 10-game reaching base streak came to an end in the contest.
The Pride, who entered the weekend stealing an NCAA-leading 3.2 bases per game, managed just two on the day.
The Panthers will look to salvage the finale game of the series when the two teams play Sunday at 12-noon at University Field.
