GEORGIA STATE (27-23, 12-12) at ARKANSAS STATE (11-32, 5-18)
May 13-15  | Tomlinson Stadium
 
Featuring the top two home run hitters in the Sun Belt Conference in Max Ryerson and Griffin Cheney, Georgia State plays its final road series of the season with a trip to Arkansas State. The Sun Belt series opens Friday at 7 p.m. ET in Jonesboro, Ark.

THE SERIES
Friday, May 13, 7 p.m. ET
Saturday, May 14, 7 p.m. ET
Sunday, May 15, 1 p.m. ET (ESPN+)

LEADING OFF
> Max Ryerson is the National Player of the Week by Collegiate Baseball for the second time this season after hitting four home runs with 12 RBI and eight runs scored in five games last week, including a series win over Appalachian State.  

> Max Ryerson leads the Sun Belt with 19 home runs (No. 8 in D1). That is the third-highest season total in program history. Only Chad Smith (21, 2000) and Jason Glover (20, 1996) have hit more in a GSU uniform. 

> Georgia State is tied for the Sun Belt lead with 69 home runs, the fourth-highest season total in program history and the most with the current bats. The only more prolific seasons: 82 in 2010; 77 in 2000; and 74 in 2009.

> The Panthers have the top two home run hitters in the league in leader Max Ryerson (19) and No. 2 Griffin Cheney (15). Luke Boynton adds 10 homers (tied for ninth), giving GSU three players in double figures for the first time since 2014.

> Ryerson has six two-homer games: at Kennesaw State, Purdue Fort Wayne, South Alabama Friday, South Alabama Sunday, Alabama State and Appalachian State.

> Ryerson is third in the Sun Belt with 53 RBI and Top 10 in OPS, slugging, hits, runs and doubles.

> Ryerson was first named National Player of the Week (Collegiate Baseball & Perfect Game) as well as Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week on April 4 after hitting .563 (9-for-16) with four homers and 10 RBI in four games. 

> Georgia State features three Sun Belt Conference Players of the Week and three National Players of the Week this season: 1B-LHP Cameron Jones (March 14, Sun Belt & National), Luke Boynton (March 21, Sun Belt) and Max Ryerson (April 4, Sun Belt & National; May 9, National).

> Super senior Griffin Cheney is second in the Sun Belt with 15 homers and also ranks in the top 10 in the conference in batting average (8th/.351), on-base pct. (10th/.443), slugging (5th/.667) and OPS (5th/1.110).  Five of his homers have come vs. the ACC: 3 vs. Clemson, 2 vs. Georgia Tech.

> Two-way standout Cameron Jones is on the Watch List for the John Olerud Award. The starting first baseman is hitting a team-high .366 (No. 6 in Sun Belt) with five homers, 10 doubles and 27 RBI. On the mound he is 2-3 with five saves (No. 7 in Sun Belt) and a 2.45 ERA.

> Infielder/DH Luke Boynton is Georgia State's leading hitter at .366. He is sixth in the Sun Belt in average, sixth in OPS (1.076) and ninth with 10 homers.

> The Georgia State staff struck out a school-record 19 batters in Tuesday's game vs. Mercer.

> The GSU bullpen has an 20-10 record with 16 saves. That's the program's second-best season total for saves, three behind the school record of 19, set in 2009.

> Junior Ryan Watson saved two wins in each of Georgia State's Sun Belt sweeps vs. Little Rock, South Alabama and Coastal Carolina. He is third in the Sun Belt lead with eight saves on the season. The right-hander is the Panthers' active leader with 11 career saves (tied for third in GSU history) and 13 career victories (T-11th). His eight saves in 2022 are two off the GSU season record.

> Georgia State earned a 6-1 win at No. 15 Clemson on March 15 for the Panthers' fifth victory over a Top 15-ranked opponent in the last two seasons. Griffin Cheney tied the school record with three home runs, and GSU pitchers Camren Landry, Chad Treadway and Joseph Brandon combined for 14 strikeouts.