Senior Hurlers Acosta, Brandon Lead Series-Clinching Win over Georgia Southern

ATLANTA -- On Senior Day, senior pitchers Rafael Acosta and Joseph Brandon combined to allow just one run over seven innings and lead Georgia State to an 8-2 win over Georgia Southern at the GSU Baseball Complex, clinching the Sun Belt Conference series for the Panthers.

Offensively, Dalton Pearson led Georgia State (26-26, 13-13 Sun Belt) with a 3-for-4 performance, including an RBI-double.

Acosta started on the mound and went 3.1 innings, allowing just one run on a ground ball out before giving way to Brandon (4-4), who pitched 3.2 scoreless innings to earn the victory. Freshman Brady Jones closed out the win with the final two innings.

The Panthers' first five runs came on four wild pitches and a bases-loaded walk.

In the second, Matt Ruiz led off with a walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch, moved to third on groundout and scored on another wild pitch by Georgia Southern starter Cameron Oliu (0-1).

One inning later, Ruiz drew a two-out walk, stole second and moved to third when the catcher's throw was wild and again scored on wild pitch. JoJo Jackson also walked and moved around the bases on three wild pitches, giving the Panthers a 3-0 lead.

Georgia State led 3-1 in the seventh inning, when catcher Colin Hynek drew a leadoff walk. Pearson was called upon to bunt and legged it out for at single to put runners at first and second. After Cameron Jones' bunted them over, Max Ryerson was intentionally walked to load the bases. Will Mize drew the bases-load walk to score one run, and then Pearson scored on Georgia Southern's seventh wild pitch of the game to give the Panthers a 5-1 advantage.

Georgia State added three insurance runs in the eighth. JoJo Jackson, Hynek and Pearson led off the inning with three consecutive doubles, and then Max Ryerson delivered an RBI-single to extend the lead to 8-1.

Hynek's RBI-double was his fifth RBI of the series after he had a 3-run homer and an RBI-single in Friday's win.

The series concludes with a 1 p.m. game Sunday, which will be Georgia State's final home game of the season.

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Players Mentioned

#7 Joseph Brandon: RHP; 6' 1"; Freshman; R/R

#33 Rafael Acosta: RHP; 6' 2"; Senior; R/R

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

#42 JoJo Jackson: OF; 6' 2"; Sophomore; S/L

#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

#11 Brady Jones: INF/RHP; 6' 0"; Freshman; R/R

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

Players Mentioned

#7 Joseph Brandon
: 6' 1"; Freshman; R/R
: RHP

#33 Rafael Acosta
: 6' 2"; Senior; R/R
: RHP

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

#42 JoJo Jackson
: 6' 2"; Sophomore; S/L
: OF

#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

#11 Brady Jones
: 6' 0"; Freshman; R/R
: INF/RHP

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