Georgia State vs. Georgia Southern, Sun Belt Tournament

Georgia Southern GS 27-29

Georgia State GSU 30-27

Georgia Southern GS

27-29

Final

May. 23, 2023

Georgia State GSU

30-27

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Georgia Southern GS	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	0	5	7	2
Georgia State GSU	0	3	0	3	0	0	0	2	X	8	10	0

W: Watson, Ryan (7-1) L: Gross, Mitchell (3-4) S: Jones, Cameron (1)

Game Recap: Baseball | 5/24/2023 12:04:00 AM

Watson Fans 13 as Panthers Advance with 8-5 Win over Georgia Southern

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vs. Coastal Carolina

5/24/2023 | 5:00 PM

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MONTGOMERY -- Ryan Watson struck out a career-high 13 in 6.2 scoreless innings and JoJo Jackson homered to lead No. 8 seed Georgia State to an 8-5 victory over No. 9 Georgia Southern in the opening round of the Guardians Credit Union Sun Belt Conference Championship at Riverwalk Stadium.

With the win, Georgia State (30-27) advances to the double elimination bracket and will face No. 1 seed Coastal Carolina Wednesday at 5 p.m. ET. The Panthers defeated Georgia Southern for the fourth straight time after sweeping the season series two weeks ago in Atlanta.

Watson, the fifth-year senior from Sugar Hill, Ga., was tremendous, allowing just two hits to improve to 7-1 on the season and earn his 20th career victory. He struck out 10 of the final 14 batters he faced before he was lifted with two outs in the seventh inning and the Panthers leading 6-0.

His 13 strikeouts equal the third-most in school history. Rodney Dickinson set the Georgia State record with 16 strikeouts vs. Furman in 1997 and also struck out 13 vs. Furman that year, while David Giancarlo fanned 14 vs. Furman in 1996.

???????? ?? ???????? ?????? ?????????? ??@ryanwatson2525 strikes out 1?3?, third-most in school history and the most by a Panther since 1997!#OurCity | #BLB pic.twitter.com/y98fI9Xeg3
— Georgia State University Baseball (@GaStateBaseball) May 24, 2023

After Georgia Southern managed five runs in the eighth inning off the GSU bullpen to pull within one, Cameron Jones delivered an RBI-single in the bottom of the eighth to give the Panthers some breathing room with an 8-5 lead. Then he moved from right field to the mound in the top of the ninth and recorded the final three outs for his first save of the season.

Jackson, the sophomore outfielder from Stone Mountain, Ga., put the Panthers on top with a 3-run homer in the second inning. The switch hitter now has 12 homers on the season, but this was his first right-handed off Georgia Southern starter Mitchell Gross (3-4).

???????? ???????? ???????? ??@J_JacksonJr11 drives it down the line and over the fence for a 3-0 lead!#OurCity | #BLB pic.twitter.com/C79Fi8j7nd
— Georgia State University Baseball (@GaStateBaseball) May 24, 2023

Georgia State extended the lead to 6-0 in the fourth on an RBI-double by Colin Hynek, followed by Jesse Donohoe's 2-run single.

After the Eagles (27-29) pulled within one, Jackson delivered a one-out single in the eighth and moved to second on an error by the right fielder. Then Hynek came through again, just missing a home run but settling for a double off the wall in left field to score Jackson.

With two outs, Jones singled to left field to score Hynek and extend the lead to 8-5.

After Georgia Southern's JD Kaiser led off the ninth with a walk, Jones came on with a 2-0 count to JC Peacher and induced a fielder's choice ground ball. Jesse Sherrill singled for the Eagles, but Jones ended the game with a groundout and a pop up.

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Next Game:

vs. Coastal Carolina

5/24/2023 | 5:00 PM

ESPN+

WGTJ-FM 97.5

Next Game

Full Schedule

May. 24 (Wed) / 5:00 PM

vs. Coastal Carolina

History

Recap
Roster

Team Statistics

Pitching: W: Watson, Ryan (7-1); L: Gross, Mitchell (3-4); S: Jones, Cameron (1)

Georgia Southern

Batting: 2B: Evans, Blake 1; RBI: Evans, Blake 2; Brown, Jarrett 1; Dowdell, Corey 1; Tighe, JP 1
BASERUNNING:: RUNS: Sherrill, Jesse 1; Evans, Blake 1; Blancato, Sam 1; Ledford, Noah 1; Peacher, JC 1; SB: Blancato, Sam 1; HBP: Ledford, Noah 1; Tighe, JP 1