SCHEDULE CHANGE, PLEASE NOTE: Georgia State and Delaware will now play a doubleheader Saturday beginning at 12 noon.
Newark, Del. -- Georgia State fell at Delaware, 7-2, in the opening game of their Colonial Athletic Association series at Bob Hannah Stadium in Newark, Del., as the Blue Hens' Chad Kuhl shut down the Panthers' potent bats with a complete game.
Georgia State (16-11, 5-5 CAA) got a strong effort from freshman pitcher Nathan Bates in his first weekend start. The 6-7 right-hander from Senoia, Ga., allowed just two runs and only one earned run through the first seven evenings before Delaware (16-8, 4-3) broke the game open with five runs in the eighth.
GSU's Chase Raffield hit his team-leading fifth home run of the season with a two-run blast in the top of the ninth to break up Kuhl's shutout. The Delaware right-hander allowed two runs on eight hits with 10 strikeouts and just one walk to improve to 5-1 on the season. He shares the CAA lead in victories.
"Nathan Bates did an outstanding job," said Georgia State head coach Greg Frady. "For him to get through seven innings allowing just one earned run, I don't think we could have asked for any more from him.
"We just didn't play good enough to win," continued Frady. "We hit into some double plays and just could never get any momentum going. Thank goodness Joey Roach walked in the ninth inning and then Chase Raffield hit a home run to give us a little momentum going into tomorrow."
The final line for Bates (1-1) was 7-1/3 innings pitched, four runs allowed, three of them earned, on nine hits with three strikeouts and no walks.
"When you have a young team, conference road games are tough, and we are learning a lot about what it takes," said Frady.
Senior second baseman Greg Bowder went 3-for-3 at the plate for the Panthers. Raffield, the junior designated hitter, also doubled and was hit by a pitch to finish 2-for-3.
Shortstop Chad Prain singled in the first inning to extend his hitting streak to 16 games. He has reached base in every game this season in which he has batted (25 straight).
Due to rain expected for Sunday, the schedule for the remainder of the series has been altered. Georgia State and Delaware will now play a doubleheader Saturday, with the first game beginning at 12 noon and the second game to follow. Both games will be nine innings.
--30--
