MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- Georgia State opened the Sun Belt Tournament with the most dominant postseason performance in program history, defeating Old Dominion 17-1 in seven innings Tuesday afternoon at Riverwalk Stadium.
With the win, the Panthers advance to the double-elimination portion of the tournament and will face No. 1 seed Southern Miss on Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. ET.
The 16-run victory marked the largest margin of victory in a postseason game in Georgia State history, surpassing the previous mark set in a 17-5 win over Charlotte in 1980. The Panthers' 17 runs also tied the program record for most runs scored in a postseason game.
Georgia State wasted no time taking control. John Beverley opened the game with a walk and came around to score on an RBI double from Wesley Bass. Adam Haber followed with an RBI single to left field, giving the Panthers a 2-0 lead in the first inning. The Panthers added three more runs in the second. Carter Bailey walked, and Beverley reached on a bunt single before Wills Maginnis put the ball in play to move Bailey to third. Hunter Carlson then drove in two runs with a double to deep right field, and Haber followed with another RBI double to push the lead to 5-0.
After two scoreless innings, Georgia State added to the advantage in the fifth. Haber doubled to start the inning, and Nick Garagozzo delivered a two-run home run to right field, his first career home run, extending the lead to 7-0.
The Panthers broke the game open with an eight-run sixth inning. Maginnis walked, and Carlson doubled before Bass worked a walk to load the bases. Brandon Davis drew a bases-loaded walk to bring in the first run of the inning. Cole Griffith followed with a two-run ground-rule double to center field, and Garagozzo added an RBI single to make it 11-0. Georgia State continued the inning as Beverley tripled down the right-field line to score two more runs. Maginnis followed with an RBI double, and Carlson capped the frame with an RBI single to give the Panthers a 15-0 lead. The Panthers added two more runs in the seventh inning when Bailey singled to left field, scoring Haber and Davis.
Old Dominion scored its lone run in the bottom of the seventh on a solo home run from Maverick Stallings.
Georgia State finished with 17 hits, with every starter getting a hit, scoring a run, and knocking in a run. Haber led the offense with a 4-for-5 performance, two doubles, two RBIs, and two runs scored. Carlson went 3-for-5 with two doubles and three RBIs, while Garagozzo finished 3-for-5 with a home run and three RBIs.
On the mound, Cole Roberts delivered a complete-game performance to earn the win. Roberts held Old Dominion to one run on two hits over seven innings while striking out five. He kept the Monarchs scoreless through the first six innings and allowed just one hit before the seventh.
Georgia State will continue Sun Belt Tournament play on Wednesday against top-seeded Southern Miss. First pitch is set for 5:00 p.m. ET.
