What you need to know:

* Georgia State defeated Mercer 8-4 Wednesday in Macon.

* Remington Hasty and Kensey Caldwell each hit three-run home runs while Mandy Chance earned the win to improve to 3-0.

* The Panthers host five home games this weekend, playing Illinois on Friday (DH), Omaha on Saturday (DH) and Radford on Sunday.

MACON, Ga.. - Georgia State traveled south to Macon on Wednesday and returned with an 8-4 win over the Mercer Bears. The Panthers used a pair of three-run homers to build their lead and strong pitching to hold it.

With two runners on base in the top of the second, sophomore Remington Hasty sent her first career home run over the wall in center field to put GSU on top 3-0. The Panthers would add a run in the third off a Megan Litumbe sac fly to take a 4-0 lead.

Mercer bounced back with three runs of their own in the fourth inning, but Georgia State responded in the top of the fifth.

After Morgan Brown led off with a triple, Ivie Drake singled to left to score Brown. A few batters later, Kensey Caldwell hit a shot over the wall in right-center, her first home run of the season. Caldwell's three-run blast gave GSU an 8-3 advantage.

Mercer would score one in the sixth, but Peyton Worsham would shut the door to get GSU the 8-4 win. Worsham, a Macon native, pitched two full innings and had lots of friends and family in attendance cheering her on.

Sophomore Mandy Chance got the start for the Panthers on Wednesday and picked up the win to move to 3-0 on the year. Chance went five innings and held Mercer to three runs.

Georgia State plays five straight home games this weekend beginning with a doubleheader against Illinois on Friday at the Bob Heck Softball Complex. GSU then hosts a doubleheader with Omaha on Saturday before wrapping up the weekend with a game against Radford on Sunday.

Follow along with Georgia State on Twitter (@GSU_Softball) for the latest news.