What You Need to Know:
• James Clements' pinch hit, bases-loaded infield single in the 10th inning brought home the winning run in GSU's 5-4 victory over Arkansas State.
• The win was No. 293 at Georgia State for head coach Greg Frady, tying him with Mike Hurst for the GSU career record.
• The series is even at 1-1, with the final game Sunday at 1 p.m.
ATLANTA -- James Clements delivered a pinch-hit, bases-loaded infield single in the bottom of the 10th inning to give Georgia State a 5-4 victory over Arkansas State, evening the Sun Belt series at 1-1.
The win is No. 293 at Georgia State for head coach Greg Frady, tying him with Mike Hurst (1993-2006) for the GSU career record.
Georgia State (10-9, 1-1 Sun Belt) trailed 4-3 when Ryan Blanton blasted a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to tie the game. The homer is Blanton's third of the season, and he also had a double in the game that was the 100th hit of his career.
In the bottom of the 10th, Joey Roach drew a leadoff walk off reliever Coulton Lee (2-1). After Tanner Ring came on in relief, Jarrett Hood executed a hit-and-run with a single through the right side, sending Roach to third. Arkansas State (10-8, 2-3) intentionally walked Blanton to load the bases. With one out, the bases still loaded and a drawn-in infield, Clements hit a slow roller to the first baseman, who had no play, allowing Roach to score the winning run.
GSU right-hander Bryce Conley (4-1) earned the win with 3.1 innings in relief of starter Marc-Andre Habeck, who allowed three runs on six hits in 6.2 innings. Habeck struck out and walked none, while Conley added five strikeouts, including four of the final six batters.
Habeck settled down after a shaky start as he allowed Garrett Rucker's two-run homer in the first inning.
GSU fought back with a run in the second on Will Kilgore's run-scoring single. The Panthers took their first lead in the series in the third inning as Hood scored on a wild pitch and then Blanton came home on Jack Thompson's RBI-grounder.
Arkansas State tied the game in the seventh and then took a 4-3 lead on Rucker's RBI-single in the eighth. The Red Wolves were looking for more after loading the bases with one out, but Conley got a strike out and a pop up to end the threat.
Hood, the junior third baseman, extended his hitting streak to 11 games.
The series concludes with a 1 p.m. game Sunday.
