Newark, Del. -- Georgia State dropped a doubleheader at Colonial Athletic Association foe Delaware, falling 8-7 in 10 innings and then 4-2, Saturday at Bob Hannah Stadium in Newark, Del.
Georgia State fell to 16-13, 5-7 in the CAA, while Delaware improved to 18-8, 6-3 CAA with the series sweep.
In game one, Nick Ferdinand singled home the tying run in the bottom of the eighth and then doubled in the winning run in the 10th to give Delaware the walk-off win.
In game two, Matt Soren pitched a complete game for the Blue Hens, scattering six hits and two runs while stiking out five and walking three.
"Both games were very close and we had our chances. It's disappointing to lose, but playing road baseball, it's really hard to close teams out, especially with a young team," said GSU head coach Greg Frady.
Georgia State shortstop Chad Prain collected six hits in the doubleheader to extend his hitting streak to 18 games. He is now batting .487 on the season. Caden Bailey was 5-for-7 in the two games, and Chase Raffield had three hits and three RBI on the day.
GAME ONE:
Georgia State rallied from a 5-1 deficit to take a 7-5 lead in the eighth inning, but Nick Ferdinand singled home the tying run in the bottom of the eighth and then doubled in the winning run in the 10th to give Delaware the 8-7, walk-off win.
Trailing 5-1, Georgia State scored five runs in the sixth inning, highlighted by Chase Raffield's bases-loaded double that drove in three. Caden Bailey and Greg Bowder also contributed run-scoring singles in the inning.
The Panthers added a run in the top of the eighth when Chad Prain's RBI-single drove home Chris Triplett, who led off the inning with a double. But Delaware managed two runs in the bottom of the eighth as Brock Niggebrugge and Jimmy Yezzo doubled, and Nick Ferdinand's single scored Yezzo with the tying run.
Joe Giacchino led off the bottom of the 10th with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. After Yezzo was intentionally walked, Ferdinand doubled to center field to bring hom Giacchino with the winning run.
Stephen Richter got the final out in the top of 10th to earn the victory and improve to 4-0 on the season. Ben Burns (4-2) took the loss for GSU.
Bailey went 4-for-5 in the game, while Prain and Raffield had three hits each.
GAME TWO:
Delaware's Matt Soren pitched a complete game, allowing just two runs on six hits, to lead the Blue Hens to a 4-2 victory over Georgia State, completing a sweep of the CAA series.
Soren (1-1) struck out eight and walked three to earn his first win of the season.
Georgia State starter Andrew Fessler (2-1) also pitched a complete game but suffered his first loss, allowing four runs on 10 hits. He struck out one and walked none.
"Andrew Fessler was outstanding today," said GSU head coach Greg Frady. "To have your starting pitcher give you a complete game in game three of a series, that really helps your team and gives you a chance. He did a great job."
Trailing 2-1, the Panthers tied the game in the sixth inning as Chad Prain led off with a double and then scored on Chris Triplett's two-out single.
But Delaware answered in the bottom of the sixth as Brock Niggebrugge delivered a two-run single with two outs to put the Blue Hens ahead, 4-2.
"After the tough, extra-inning loss, We got off to a slow start in game two," said Frady. "We got down 2-0 but we battled back to tie the game, and they got a two-out base hit."
The Panthers had baserunners in each of the last three innings but could not manage a run.
Prain had three hits in the game, and Triplett and Greg Bowder contributed two hits each. Bowder also drove in the Panthers' first run with a second-inning single.
