Watson's Gem, HRs by Boynton, Hynek Lead 11-3 Win over Ga Southern

ATLANTA -- Senior Ryan Watson pitched seven scoreless innings to earn his 19th career win, and Luke Boynton and Colin Hynek homered to lead Georgia State to an 11-3 win over Georgia Southern Friday at the GSU Baseball Complex.

Watson, the fifth-year senior making his final home start, allowed just five hits and struck out seven to improve to 6-1 on the season. The right-hander from Sugar Hill, Ga. (North Gwinnett High School) is now tied for third place in Georgia State history with 19 career victories.

The game was scoreless until the third inning, when Boynton changed that with a tape-measure home run measured at 432 feet over the center field wall. The 3-run blast is his 16th of the season, tying Max Ryerson for the team lead, and his 28th in his two seasons at GSU, good for 10th in school history.

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B3: Panthers 3 // Eagles 0@luke_boynton | #BLB pic.twitter.com/NOCfMWDlRs
— Georgia State University Baseball (@GaStateBaseball) May 12, 2023

Georgia State (25-26, 12-13 Sun Belt) broke the game open with a 5-run sixth inning to move ahead 8-0. After Boynton led off with a walk, Matt Ruiz and Dylan Strickland singled to load the bases. Hynek and Dalton Pearson delivered back-to-back run-scoring singles, and then Cameron Jones extended the lead to 6-0 with a sacrifice fly.

With two outs, Will Mize singled through the left side to plate two more runs and give the Panthers an 8-0 lead.

Hynek, the redshirt freshman catcher, hit his ninth homer of the season--and the Panthers' 99th--with a 3-run shot in the seventh inning. He finished with four RBI for the game.

In addition to the offense, the Georgia State defense supported Watson by turning double plays in the fifth and sixth inning.

Georgia Southern (24-25, 14-11 Sun Belt) managed two runs in the eighth and one in the ninth for the final margin.

The series continues with a 3 p.m. game Saturday. Fourteen Georgia State seniors will be honored pregame.

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Players Mentioned

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

#3 Luke Boynton: INF; 6' 5"; Junior; R/R

#22 Colin Hynek: C; 6' 1"; Redshirt Freshman; R/R

#1 Cameron Jones: LHP/OF; 6' 1"; Junior; R/L

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

#9 Dalton Pearson: OF; 5' 10"; Junior; R/R

#23 Max Ryerson: OF; 6' 2"; Senior; R/R

#10 Dylan Strickland: INF; 5' 11"; Junior; R/R

#21 Matt Ruiz: INF; 6' 3"; Junior; R/R

Players Mentioned

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

#3 Luke Boynton
: 6' 5"; Junior; R/R
: INF

#22 Colin Hynek
: 6' 1"; Redshirt Freshman; R/R
: C

#1 Cameron Jones
: 6' 1"; Junior; R/L
: LHP/OF

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

#9 Dalton Pearson
: 5' 10"; Junior; R/R
: OF

#23 Max Ryerson
: 6' 2"; Senior; R/R
: OF

#10 Dylan Strickland
: 5' 11"; Junior; R/R
: INF

#21 Matt Ruiz
: 6' 3"; Junior; R/R
: INF