STATESBORO, Ga. – Georgia State made history Friday at J.I. Clements Stadium, sweeping a doubleheader from Georgia Southern to secure the Panthers' first series win in Statesboro in program history.
The Panthers took the opener 5-1 behind the first complete game of Will Bartkoski's career before rallying late to win game two, 10-5. With the two wins, Georgia State improves to 24-26 overall and 12-14 in Sun Belt play.
Game One: Georgia State 5, Georgia Southern 1
Bartkoski set the tone in the opener, turning in the best start of his career, and throwing 134 pitches to lead Georgia State to a 5-1 win.
The sidearmer tossed a complete game, allowing just one run on four hits while striking out eight. Bartkoski worked around traffic throughout the game and held Georgia Southern scoreless through the first six innings.
Georgia State broke through in the third inning. Sam Silas walked, and Carter Bailey singled before John Beverley drove in the first run with a single. Wills Maginnis followed with a two-run single to give the Panthers a 3-0 lead.
Beverley added to the lead in the sixth inning with a solo home run to left field, pushing the advantage to 4-0.
Georgia Southern scored its lone run in the seventh, but Bartkoski limited the damage and finished the game strong. The Panthers added an insurance run in the ninth when Wesley Bass doubled and came home on an RBI single from Cole Griffith.
Beverley led the Panthers with three hits, two runs scored, and two RBIs, while Maginnis added three hits and two RBIs. Bass doubled and scored twice, and Griffith added an RBI.
Game Two: Georgia State 10, Georgia Southern 5
Georgia State carried the momentum into game two, using a late offensive surge to erase an early deficit and clinch the series.
The Panthers struck first in the second inning when Hunter Carlson singled, and Adam Haber doubled before Jae Williams delivered a two-run single to give Georgia State a 2-0 lead.
Georgia Southern answered with four runs in the bottom of the second to take a 4-2 advantage. The score remained there until the seventh, when Georgia State tied the game behind RBI singles from Carter Bailey and Beverley.
The Panthers took control in the eighth inning. Bass singled to start the frame before Carlson doubled to bring home the go-ahead run. Haber followed with an RBI single, Williams added another hit, Nick Garagozzo drove in a run on a fielder's choice, and Bailey added an RBI single. Georgia State scored five runs in the inning to build a 9-4 lead.
Carlson capped the Panthers' scoring in the ninth with a solo home run to right field.
Carlson led the offense with a 4-for-5 performance, four runs scored, a double, a home run, and two RBIs. Haber and Williams each added three hits, while Bailey finished with two hits and two RBIs. Georgia State totaled 14 hits in the win.
Michael Caruso earned the win after throwing 8.0 innings, allowing four runs while striking out seven. Brian Crooms closed out the final inning, striking out three.
Georgia State and Georgia Southern are scheduled to close the series Saturday at 2:00 p.m., though the game time could change due to rain.
