Although his first season ended prematurely, Georgia State head baseball coach Brad Stromdahl is off to a strong start with the Panthers, laying the foundation for a winning culture.

Stromdahl led the Panthers to a 9-7 record  for the first four weeks of his first season, including wins in four of the final games. 

TEAM HIGHLIGHTS

> A walk-off win on Opening Day over 2019 NCAA Tournament team Cincinnati to kick off a weekend sweep of the Atlanta Challenge

> Three wins in final at-bat with 10-inning wins over Cincinnati (9-8, walk-off) and at Western Carolina (10-9) and 6-5 victory vs. North Alabama (9th-inning walk-off).

> Team ranked in the Top 4 in the Sun Belt Conference in scoring, batting average and stolen bases

> A strong crop of freshman pitchers earned five wins and two saves. Six freshmen (Cameron Jones, Chandler Dawson, Duncan Lutz, Chad Treadway, Brandon Haston, Camren Landry) combined for a 3.65 ERA with 63 strikeouts in 56.2 innings.

> Pitching staff allowed just a .207 batting average against and ranked among the national leaders with 10 runners picked off base

INDIVIDUAL HIGHLIGHTS

> Senior outfielder Elian Merejo was one of the top hitters in the Sun Belt, ranking among the league's Top 5 in batting average (.407), home runs (5), slugging (.763), on-base percentage (.527), walks (15) and runs scored (18).

> Merejo was named Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week honors on Feb. 17 after he went 7-for-11 with two homers, two doubles, seven RBI and seven runs scored as the Panthers opened the season with wins over 2019 NCAA Regional team Cincinnati, St. John's and Saint Peters.

> The GSU lineup featured one of the top freshmen in the Sun Belt and the nation in shortstop Will Mize, hitting .373 with 17 RBI (No. 5 in Sun Belt)

> Third baseman Griffin Cheney was No. 2 in Sun Belt in walks and No. 3 in runs scored while hitting .302.

> With a .308 batting average, junior catcher Tanner Gallman gave the Panthers five starters at .300 or better.

> Freshman right-hander Chad Treadway led the Panthers with a 2.20 ERA and 23 strikeouts in 16.1 innings. He made his first start March 8 vs. North Alabama and pitched five scoreless, allowing just two hits with six strikeouts.

> Freshman reliever Cameron Jones earned a win vs. 2019 NCAA regional team Cincinnati and a save vs. St. John's in his first two collegiate appearances. The lefty pitched 3.2 innings scoreless out of the bullpen, allowing just one hit while striking out four. 

> In the top of the 10th inning against Cincinnati, Jones pitched a rare Immaculate Inning, striking out the side on nine pitches, to set up the Panthers' walk-off in the bottom half.

> In the sweep of North Alabama, sophomore reliever Joseph Brandon picked up a win in the Friday night walk-off and a save in Sunday's 3-1 victory.

> Saturday starter Ryan Watson earned two wins, including a career-high eight strikeouts for the sophomore rightly in win over Bryant. Watson has eight victories and one save in his first one-plus seasons, covering 23 appearances.

> After entering the starting lineup at second base, Kalen Puckett hit .370 and was hit by pitch six times in 13 games to lead the Sun Belt.