Sun Belt Play Opens at ULM

Watch Friday and Saturday on ESPN+

GEORGIA STATE (4-14, 0-0) at ULM (7-6, 0-0)
Warhawk Field, Monroe, La.

THE SCHEDULE
Friday, 7 p.m. ET
Saturday, 3 p.m. ET
Sunday, 2 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN+ (Friday & Saturday only)

LEADING OFF
> After playing the nation's toughest non-conference schedule, Georgia State opens Sun Belt Conference play this weekend with a three-game series at ULM, Friday through Sunday at Warhawk Field.

> The Panthers enter their conference slate having played 18 straight games against Power 5 opponents, including 14 nationally-ranked foes, and 13 consecutive road games.

> 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)

> Meanwhile, ULM is coming off back-to-back wins over No. 4 Ole Miss and No. 14 Oklahoma State.

> ULM leads the series the series 11-7 and has won six in a row.

> 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).

> 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 sixth in D-1 with 16 double plays turned.

> Shortstop Will Mize is third in the Sun Belt Conference with 24 hits and eighth with a .339 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

#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

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