Midweek Game Tuesday at Clemson on ACC Network Extra

Sun Belt Conference Play Opens This Weekend

GEORGIA STATE (4-13) at CLEMSON (5-8)
Tuesday, March 16, 6 p.m. | Doug Kingsmore Stadium, Clemson, S.C.

TV: ACC Network Extra
Audio: GeorgiaStateSports.com/GSU Athletics app

PROBABLE PITCHERS
GSU So. RHP Rafael Acosta (1-0, 0.87) vs. CU RHP Ricky Williams (First appearance)

LEADING OFF
> Georgia State plays its final non-conference game before Sun Belt Conference play with a trip to Clemson Tuesday at 6 p.m. on ACC Network Extra. GSU's first conference series is at ULM this weekend.

> Facing likely the toughest schedule in the nation, the Panthers are playing their 18th consecutive game against a Power 5 opponent and their 13th straight road game.

> Georgia State and Clemson are meeting for the first time.

> Sophomore right-hander Rafael Acosta (1-0) will make his first start against Clemson. The transfer from Eastern Florida State College leads the team with a 0.87 ERA in five appearances. He earned a win over No. 14 West Virginia with three innings of scoreless relief on the opening weekend.

> Georgia State's played its first 14 games against ranked foes, including four victories:
No. 14 West Virginia twice, 7-6 (10) and 20-4 (home)
No. 2 Vanderbilt, 4-2 (away)
No. 10 Georgia Tech, 10-1 (away)

> Freshman right-hander Mason Patel was named Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the Week after leading GSU to a win at No. 10 Georgia Tech (March 3). He pitched six scoreless inning and allowed just four hits while striking out eight, the most strikeouts for a GSU freshman since 2013. Backing the strong pitching effort in the win at Tech were Will Mize (2-for-4, 2-run HR, 2B, 3 RBI) and Kyle Riesselmann (2-run HR, 3 RBI).

> In his last two starts at Georgia Tech and Kentucky, Patel has pitched 11.0 innings and allowed just two runs on seven hits with 14 strikeouts.

> The Panthers earned a Friday night, 4-2 victory at No. 2 Vanderbilt (Feb. 26), the highest-ranked team GSU has ever beaten. Previously, the highest ranked team GSU had ever defeated was No. 3 Georgia Tech in 2010, 10-1.

> In the win over Vandy, starting pitcher Ryan Watson threw five strong innings (1 run, 4 hits, 7 strikeouts) and Elian Merejo provided key insurance runs with a two-run homer in the top of the ninth inning. Vandy put the tying runs on base in the bottom of the ninth, but Chad Treadway recorded the final two outs for the save.

> Before this season, Georgia State had never played more than three straight games against ranked opponents, but the Panthers just finished a stretch of 14 straight games against ranked teams.

> Georgia State opened the season with a four-game series split against No. 14 West Virginia. After falling 5-3 in 10 innings on Opening Day, Georgia State swept the Saturday doubleheader with a 7-6 walk-off win on Elian Merejo's two-out single in the 10th, and then a 20-4 victory in the nightcap. GSU then held WVU to just three hits in the series finale, but the Mountaineers managed a 3-2 victory.

> The Panthers' 20-4 win in Game 3 of the WVU series represents the most runs GSU has ever scored against a ranked foe. Georgia State jumped on the Mountaineers with an 11-run first inning and never looked back.

> Georgia State leads the Sun Belt and ranks fifth in D-1 with 16 double plays turned.

> Shortstop Will Mize is fourth in the Sun Belt Conference with 23 hits and seventh with a .371 average. The second-year freshman went 8-for-15 with two doubles, a homer and four RBI in the WVU series, including a double and a two-run homer in the 11-run first inning. He homered and drove in three in 10-1 win at No. 10 Georgia Tech.

> Second-year head coach Brad Stromdahl took over the Georgia State program in 2020 after seven seasons as the head coach at Georgia Gwinnett, where he started the program from scratch in 2013 and compiled a record of 328-104. He led the Grizzlies to the Avista-NAIA World Series three times, including his last two years (2018-19). Before going to Georgia Gwinnett in November 2011, Stromdahl spent five seasons (2007-11) as an assistant coach at Georgia State.

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Players Mentioned

#18 Elian Merejo: C; 6' 0"; Senior; R/R

#14 Will Mize: INF; 6' 2"; Freshman; R/R

#3 Kyle Riesselmann: OF; 6' 3"; Freshman; R/L

#20 Chad Treadway: RHP; 6' 1"; Freshman; L/R

#25 Ryan Watson: RHP; 6' 2"; Sophomore; R/R

#33 Rafael Acosta: RHP; 6' 3"; Sophomore; R/R

#2 Mason Patel: RHP; 6' 2"; Freshman; R/R

Players Mentioned

#18 Elian Merejo
: 6' 0"; Senior; R/R
: C

#14 Will Mize
: 6' 2"; Freshman; R/R
: INF

#3 Kyle Riesselmann
: 6' 3"; Freshman; R/L
: OF

#20 Chad Treadway
: 6' 1"; Freshman; L/R
: RHP

#25 Ryan Watson
: 6' 2"; Sophomore; R/R
: RHP

#33 Rafael Acosta
: 6' 3"; Sophomore; R/R
: RHP

#2 Mason Patel
: 6' 2"; Freshman; R/R
: RHP