ATLANTA - Cole Roberts pitched 8.1 strong innings in Game One to help Georgia State split their doubleheader with Georgia Southern at the GSU Baseball Complex on Saturday.

Georgia State (18-12, 5-4 Sun Belt) won the first game 2-1, but Georgia Southern (17-10, 5-4 Sun Belt) clinched the series with a 7-1 victory in Game Two.

A junior from Las Vegas, Nevada, Roberts (5-1) needed just 92 pitches to top his previous high of 8.0 innings set against Western Carolina on March 9.  The right-handed pitcher allowed one run with two outs in the first inning but settled in and pitched 7.2 innings of shutout baseball with five strikeouts the rest of the way.

At the plate, Jae Williams went a combined 2-for-4 with three hit-by-pitches and drove in all three of GSU's runs.  Michael Maginnis went 2-for-4 in Game One.

Said coach Brad Stromdahl, "Just a tough weekend all the way around. We scored three runs in 27 innings and it's hard to win a game with that so we're fortunate to be able to come out and split the doubleheader. Now we regroup and figure out what we need to do better and continue on with the conference schedule."

Game One: Georgia State 2, Georgia Southern 1

With Georgia State down 1-0, Jesse Donohoe hit a leadoff double to start the second inning, advanced to third on an infield hit that took a tricky hop off the mound to the second basemen, and then scored on a line drive by Jae Williams through the first basemen's glove to tie the game.

The score remained that way until the fourth when Donohoe drew a leadoff walk, advanced to second on a base-hit by Colin Hynek, and advanced to third on a flyout before scoring on a groundout by Williams to give GSU a 2-1 lead they would not relinquish.

With eight innings under his belt, Roberts stayed in to open the ninth and induced a groundout to a shift at second base by Sean Smith, one of the top hitters in the Sun Belt, but allowed two straight hits to left field by the next two batters he faced.

Jake Crews then came on to pitch, and on a called strike to make it a 2-2 count, Georgia Southern attempted a double-steal, but Colin Hynek nailed the lead runner at third for a huge second out.  Crews would then induce a ground ball to second to seal the win and earn his fourth save.

Game Two: Georgia Southern 7, Georgia State 2

GSU struggled offensively in the second game, managing just two combined hits from Jae Williams and Carter Bailey.

The Panthers scored their only run in the fourth inning on a sacrifice fly by Williams with runners on second and third.

Georgia Southern took an early lead with three runs on two hits in the second inning and pulled away with four runs, one earned, in the seventh, highlighted by a three-run homer by Daniel Haab.

Brady Pendley (3-0) finished the game with 5.2 scoreless relief innings, allowing just three walks and one hit with seven strikeouts to earn the win for the Eagles.

Panther starter Ross Norman (3-4) pitched five innings but took the loss.

Brian Crooms finished the game for GSU with one scoreless inning.

Georgia State will face in-state rival Kennesaw State on Tuesday, April 1 at S. Walter Kelly Sr. Memorial Field.  First pitch is at 6 p.m.