What You Need to Know:
• Battling numerous injuries to key players, Georgia State fell 16-3 to Troy in Sunday's home finale.
• GSU concludes the regular season with a series at Georgia Southern, Thursday through Saturday.
• The Panthers can still earn a spot in the Sun Belt Conference Championship but do not control their own destiny.
ATLANTA -- Battling numerous injuries to key players, Georgia State fell 16-3 (7) to Troy in Sunday's final home game at the GSU Baseball Complex.
Georgia State (23-29, 9-18 Sun Belt) concludes the regular season with a Thursday-Saturday series at Georgia Southern. The Panthers can still earn one of the eight spots in the Sun Belt Conference Championship but need to win or sweep the series at Georgia Southern and get help from other teams.
After Troy (30-23, 15-12 Sun Belt) scored two runs in the top of the first, Georgia State answered with two in the bottom of the first. Justin Jones doubled down the left field line with one out. Jarrett Hood hit a ground ball to the shortstop, who tried to get Jones but threw wildly, putting runners at second and third. With two outs, Troy third baseman Chase Smartt threw wildly to first, allowing both runs to score.
But Troy scored in each of the first five innings, breaking the game open with a four-run fourth inning that put the Trojans ahead 8-2.
Playing without top player Joey Roach, the Panthers have struggled to score runs in support of a pitching staff that was already decimated by injuries.
Troy starter Houston Mabray (4-3) tossed the seven-inning complete game, allowing three runs but only one earned on six hits. He walked just one and struck out two.
The Panthers hit into three double plays today and eight in the series.
Jones, the sophomore shortstop, was 1-for-2 with an RBI and continues to be a bright spot for the Panthers. He is hitting .375 over the last 30 games.
Redshirt freshman outfielder Luke Leonard was 3-for-3 today and 5-for-10 in the series.
Freshman right fielder Darius Sewell had his 11-game hitting streak snapped.
