Richmond, Va.- Senior Landon Bennett had a pair of hits and scored twice as the Georgia State baseball team built a 3-1 lead in the sixth inning, but VCU responded with five of the next six runs as the Panthers fell, 6-4, in the Colonial Athletic Association series finale Sunday at The Diamond.
The Panthers entered the final inning trailing 6-3 and loaded the bases, but scored just once in falling two runs short. GSU managed just five total hits in the loss.
Senior starter Tyler Claburn (4-2) struck out three over a career-best 5.2 innings on the mound before VCU's two-out, three-run bottom of the sixth proved to be the difference.
Bennett's pair of hits Sunday made the senior 6-for-9 in the series with four runs scored.
Joey Wood, Mark Hogan and Daniel Blaustein added hits for GSU in the finale.
GSU fell to 20-28 overall and 11-13 in the CAA Sunday while VCU moved to 27-21, 13-14 with the victory.
The Panthers struck first in the game, sparked by Bennett. The Duluth, Ga., native knocked a one-out single and Hogan walked, then both runners moved up on a wild pitch. Wood's groundout to the right side scored Bennett as the Panthers went in front, 1-0.
The Rams evened things in the fourth on Chris Ayers' RBI single.
Wood started the fifth with a single and Sarratt walked. After a sac bunt moved the runners over, Caden Bailey's RBI groundout put the Panthers back in front, 2-1.
A two-out rally in the sixth produced another Panther score. Bennett reached on a wild pitch third strike, then stole second base. Hogan delivered with a triple into the right field corner past a diving VCU outfielder that went to the wall for a 3-1 Panther lead.
The Rams posted a two-out rally of their own in the bottom of the inning to climb back in front. Chris Ayers walked and scored on Vimael Machin's double to the wall to make it 3-2. Nick Abrahamson's RBI single tied the game and with the bases later loaded, Bill Cullen walked to plate the go-ahead run for a 4-3 Rams advantage.
VCU added to its lead with a pair of runs in the eighth inning on Jordan Weymouth's bases-loaded single.
The Panthers loaded the bases in the ninth on Rams closer Blake Hauser and Bailey walked in a run to make it 6-4, but a strikeout and groundout ended the game with Hauser picking up his 10th save of the season.
GSU fell to 6-2-1 at The Diamond under head coach Greg Frady.
Ten different Panthers scored runs in the series, with Bailey, Sarratt, Wood and Williams picking up three RBIs apiece.
The Panthers return to action Tuesday by starting a two-game set at UNC Asheville, before hosting Delaware in the final home series of the year, Friday through Sunday.
