Friday, March 6
Roach Drives in Four, GSU Rallies to 8-5 Win over EMU
ATLANTA -- Caden Bailey drove in the go-ahead run in a three-run eighth inning that lifted Georgia State to an 8-5 victory over Eastern Michigan Friday at the GSU Baseball Complex in the opener of a three-game series. The Panthers (8-5) won for the fourth time in their last five games.
Eastern Michigan (5-9) scored twice in the top of the seventh inning to take its first lead at 5-4 before Georgia State tied the game on a double steal in the bottom of the inning. After Sam Few singled with one out, Trae Sweeting singled to left field, and pinch runner Gerrio Rahming advanced to second. A fielder's choice ground ball by Will Johnson put runners at first and third with two outs with James Clements at the plate. Johnson broke for second, and the Panthers executed a double steal as Rahming came home with the tying run.
After reliever Connor Stanley tossed a scoreless top of the eighth, Ryan Blanton led off the bottom of the frame with a walk and advanced to third on back-to-back wild pitches by reliever Sam Delaplane (2-1). Justin Jones drew a walk, and then Bailey singled through the left side to score Blanton with the go-ahead run. Matt Rose walked to load the bases, and left-handed reliever Michael Marsinek came on to face the left-handed hitting Joey Roach. Roach worked the count full and fouled off several pitches before drawing a walk to bring in another run.
Then Rahming hit a ground ball to the second baseman. Roach eluded the tag and was safe at second as Bailey scored the third run of the inning, giving the Panthers an 8-5 lead.
Kevin Burgee pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning with two strikeouts to earn his third save of the season. Stanley (2-0), who pitch 1.2 innings in relief, won his second straight decision for the Panthers.
"We found a way to win. Nothing was easy or pretty or fluid ... it was just uphill all day long, but just to win feels pretty good," head coach Greg Frady said.
Roach, the junior catcher, drove in four runs on the day with a sacrifice fly in the third inning and a two-run single in the fourth that gave Georgia State a 4-2 lead.
"With guys on base, I really just try to put the ball in play. Especially in a tight game like this, where every run matter," Roach said. "Being able to come up in a spot like that and put together a good 'AB' was really important in today's game."
Blanton, the Panthers' leadoff hitter, tied the Georgia State record with four walks. Nine other Panthers have walked four times in a game, most recently Rob Lind in 2011. As a team, GSU drew 10 free passes, including three by Rose.
Bailey finished 4-for-5 and scored three runs.
GSU starter Nathan Bates allowed three runs, all unearned, on six hits in six innings of work with three walks and five strikeouts. The Panthers, second in the Sun Belt in fielding percentage, committed an uncharacteristic five errors on the day.
"Nathan battled and pitched us into the sixth inning, like a starter should," Frady said. "We didn't play our best defensive game by any means, so we didn't really support him. It was just a hard game. We just couldn't find a way to play well in the early part of the game, but we stayed focused and found a way, and I'm proud of the team."
The series continues Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. at the GSU Baseball Complex. Tickets are available at the gate.
Davis Delivers Walk-Off Winner in Cajuns Sun Belt Opener
LAFAYETTE, La. – Senior Greg Davis provided a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the 11th to give the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns a 6-5 walk-off win over Troy in the Sun Belt Conference opener on Friday night at M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field.
Davis, who was hitless going into the bottom half of the 11th, lifted a single into center scoring Jam Williams from second to improve the Cajuns to 8-4 on the year and 1-0 in conference play. The win is the fourth straight on the season and seventh straight for Louisiana in conference action dating back to the 2014 season.
"I was really glad that after we took a punch from them early, we found a way to punch them back," head coach Tony Robichaux said. "That's a good sign. Dylan Moore came on and got one of their best hitters out in a critical situation in the ball game. We just need to keep running guys out there and get them weathered."
Moore picked up his second victory of the year in the outing holding the Trojans (7-6, 0-1 Sun Belt) scoreless over the final 2.1 innings of the game. The freshman had five strikeouts and did not surrender a hit or walk.
Starter Evan Guillory threw five innings in a no decision giving up four runs on seven hits with five strikeouts. Junior Colton Lee had a season-best nine strikeouts in relief as the Ragin' Cajuns posted a team-best 19 strikeouts in the game. Lee allowed just one run on three hits in 3.2 innings.
Jeremy McGowan was handed the loss for Troy to fall to 0-1 on the year giving up the game-winning run in the 11th.
Louisiana outhit the Trojans 11-10 in the contest led by Blake Trahan who was 3-for-4 with two doubles, a home run and two RBI. Kyle Clement and Dylan Butler also registered multi-hit performances in the game with Clement going 2-for-5 with a triple and Butler recording a 2-for-4 effort and scored a run.
David Hall was 3-for-4 for Troy, while Trevin Hall had a pair of extra base hits posting a double and a home run.
The Trojans got on the board in the top of the first, scoring three runs on five hits highlighted by a two-run homer by Logan Hill.
The Cajuns answered with a three-run inning in the bottom half of the frame to tie the game at 3-all. Brenn Conrad got things going with an RBI single to center after Trahan led off the inning with a double down the left field line. Two batters later, Conrad scored from third on a ball hit to short by Tyler Girouard to cut the Troy advantage to one run.
Junior catcher Nick Thurman evened the contest in the next at bat sending his first career home run over the left field fence with two outs.
Troy regained the lead in the top of the third on a solo home run by Trevin Hall. The home was the third of the year for Hall.
In the bottom of the fourth, Trahan sent a two-out, two-run homer off of the foul pole in left to give Louisiana a 5-4 edge. The home run was Trahan's first of the season and ninth of his career.
Both teams would be held scoreless until the top of the ninth when T.J. Binder singled home Windham Jackson to tie the contest for the second time.
Troy would load the bases with two outs later in the top of the ninth, but Moore came into the game and punched out Hill to end the threat and keep the game tied at 5-all.
In the bottom of 11th, Butler singled to lead off the inning. The speedy Williams then came on as a pinch runner for Butler. Williams advanced to second on a Trahan sac bunt and then scored on the game-winner by Davis.
The Cajuns and Trojans return to action tomorrow at 2 p.m. at the "Tigue" as senior Greg Milhorn gets the nod on the mound for Louisiana. Milhorn has yet to record a decision this season allowing eight runs on 12 hits in 14.2 innings of work. Troy will counter with freshman right-hander Grant Bennett. Bennett is 2-0 on the year with a 0.90 ERA in 20 innings.
UALR Tops Jags, 4-3, in Sun Belt Opener
MOBILE, Ala. – UALR baseball (4-5, 1-0) picked up a 4-3 win in Friday night’s conference opener at South Alabama (9-5, 0-1).
Ryan Scott once again proved his worth, going 2 for 4 with one run and one RBI. Scott now has the longest hitting streak of any Trojan batter this season at six games. Scott was the only Trojan with two hits tonight, giving him three multi-hit games this season.
“I couldn’t be more proud of this team, especially coming off Tuesday where we really had a heart-to-heart with them and challenged them man-by-man, and they responded,” head coach Chris Curry said. “Tonight is a night where I’m so proud of them. We talked about what all they’ve been through, the adversity, and how they can’t let that define them. Tonight shows the incredible mental toughness and resilience this team has and why our staff loves working with them.”
Scott got the Trojans’ first hit and drove in the first run of the night with an RBI single to center, scoring James Gillean from third in the third inning. Gillean walked earlier in the inning and stole second before a groundout to first advanced him to third.
The Trojans remained out front until a Jaguars’ single to center brought home a run from second in the sixth inning. South Alabama went ahead by one in the seventh after an RBI single to right scored the runner from second.
Junior Hayden Martin pinched hit for Justin Steelmon in the top of the eighth and came through with a one out, RBI single to left center, scoring Scott from second to tie the game at 2-2. Scott singled up the middle to lead off the inning.
“Hayden hadn’t been playing as much as he wants to, so we wanted to get a left-handed batter up there against their right-hander,” Curry said.
The Jags struck back in the bottom of the eighth with a double and single with one out. Malcom threw two consecutive wild pitches, scoring the South Alabama runner from third to give the Jags a 3-2 lead heading into the ninth.
UALR put on their rally caps in the ninth as Gillean took first with a leadoff walk. Jason Prevatt pinch hit for Mitchell Scheuler and laid down a sacrifice bunt to the pitcher to advance Gillean to second. Petr Sila then hit into a fielder’s choice, but the South Alabama throw to third was late, leaving runners on the corners with one out. Scott was then hit by a pitch to load the bases. Tanner Rockwell reached on a fielder’s choice, scoring Gillean to tie the game at 3-3. Junior Kyle Kirk came through with the eventual winning hit after singling to left field and scoring Sila from third.
Senior Cameron Allen came on to close for Malcom in the bottom of the ninth. Allen led the inning off by hitting the batter with a 2-1 count. The next South Alabama batter laid down a sac bunt to Allen to move over the runner to second. The Jags then singled to left, but the runner didn’t advance. Allen struck out the next batter to give the Trojans two outs. After loading the bases with a walk, Allen picked up his second save of the season with a fly out to center.
“Cam Allen takes the ball again and what an unselfish guy he is. He started on the weekend last year, and because of our personnel, we’ve asked him to take the ball whenever we’re in a jam. He could easily start for anybody, but we need him to put the fire out and that’s what he’s done.”
Sophomore Cory Malcom pitched a very efficient game, throwing 102 pitches with 71 strikes in eight innings of work. Malcom struck out four, walked one and gave up three runs on nine hits to earn his second win of the season.
“Every time on the mound, we feel like he’s going to give us an opportunity to win the game,” Curry said. “He minimized the damage, kept the scoring to single digits when they did score and kept us right there.”
Petr Sila extended his streak of reaching base to 10 games dating back to last season. He ended the night with one run and a walk.
It’s just so nice to win a one-run game, which is an indication of the bullpen,” Curry said. “We also did a very good job with situational play. We stole two bases and I’m happy about that. I could not be more proud of the toughness and fight that our team showed tonight against a very good South Alabama team.”
UALR will face South Alabama in game two of the series tomorrow night at 6:30 in Mobile, Ala. Lefty Jarrid Garcia (0-0) will make his first career start for the Trojans and will face South Alabama right-hander Ryne Long (1-1).
Bobcats Come Through in the Clutch
SAN MARCOS, Texas – Texas State put together a complete game Friday night to get the team's first Sun Belt Conference victory with a 4-3 win over UL Monroe. Lucas Humpal put together an impressive pitching performance while the defense backed him up throughout the night, and Colby Targun knocked the big hit the Bobcats needed to improve to 4-8-1 overall and 1-0 in conference play.
The Bobcats and UL Monroe will play a doubleheader on Saturday at 1 p.m., changing the original schedule due to expected inclement weather on Sunday.
Humpal went 8.1 innings and tallied all 10 of Texas State's strikeouts in the game, more than doubling his season total to that point. He only walked two and gave up eight hits and three runs on 117 pitches. In the ninth, Blake Whitter picked up the out he needed and Cory Geisler came in for his second save of the season. He used the athleticism fans see from him in the outfield to come up, field a bunt and get it to first base in time for the final out of the game.
At the plate, Targun came up big for the Bobcats on a 2-for-4 night with a run and an RBI. In a 3-3 tied game, Texas State moved David Paiz to third base on consecutive groundouts after he reached on a walk. With two outs, Targun ripped one up the middle to plate Paiz for the go-ahead run.
Geisler joined Targun with two hits on the night, also scoring a run and knocking an RBI. Ben McElroy, Granger Studdard, Cody Lovejoy, Tanner Hill and Theodore Hoffman also tallied hits while McElroy and Studdard added RBIs. Hill wasn't retired in the game, tallying two walks and a hit by pitch with his hit.
The Bobcats were first on the scoreboard with a first-inning run. Geisler led off with a single up the middle and went to second on a throwing error from the pitcher. After that, Studdard sent a hit to right centerfield. Warhawk centerfielder Nathan Pugh tried to make a diving play on the ball, but it popped out for a Studdard triple that brought in Geisler.
In the top of the second, ULM wasted no time answering. The Warhawks stacked three singles together to score a run to tie the game. Texas State, however, scored two runs in the bottom of the inning. Targun ran out a ULM error to put Texas State's leadoff man in the inning on base. Hill took a hit by pitch and Luke Sherley worked the count for a walk. With bases loaded, Geisler sent a single through the left side to plate Targun. McElroy followed with an infield single to score Hill and put the Bobcats up, 3-1.
The Warhawks kept the scoring going in the third with two more runs to tie it up. They used three hits to tie the game, but Humpal finished the inning by catching a runner trying to steal home off a busted pickoff play.
From there, it was scoreless baseball until the seventh inning when Targun put the Bobcats on top for good. The pitching and Texas State defense, which made two impressive plays for outs from Sherley and Targun, shut the Warhawks down the rest of the way.
Texas State and UL Monroe will continue the series with a Saturday doubleheader scheduled for 1 p.m. Scott Grist will be on the mound for the Bobcats against Brandon Bell for the Warhawks in the first game of the day. The second game of the doubleheader will start approximately 45 minutes after the conclusion of the first.
Walk-Off Lifts Eagles to First Sun Belt win
STATESBORO, Ga. – Hunter Thomas delivered a two out walk-off single with the bases loaded in the ninth inning to hand the Georgia Southern Eagles their first Sun Belt Conference win 5-4 over the Appalachian State Mountaineers at J.I. Clements Stadium.
Georgia Southern (9-5, 1-0) led early but an eighth-inning rally put Appalachian State (5-7, 0-1) ahead 4-3.
Aaron Mizell led off the ninth inning with a single through the right side of the infield, and an error by the shortstop Dillon Dobson and a bunt single by Kody Adams loaded the bases with no outs.
Ryan Ross came on in relief of Taylor Thurber and recorded two quick outs before allowing the game-winning single to Thomas. The senior pinched hit in the eighth inning and beat Ross to the bag on a ball hit to the right side of the defense.
"I am really proud of Hunter Thomas. He is a team guy. He wasn't in the lineup tonight but has a great attitude every day. He steps up there in the biggest at-bat in the game and hustled down the line," Head Coach Rodney Hennon said.
Thurber (2-1) took the loss after allowing four hits and two unearned runs over 1.2 innings.
Chris Brown (2-1) worked around a leadoff walk in the ninth inning and struck out a batter to earn his second win of the season.
Evan Challenger allowed one run over five innings and struck out three batters but received his third-straight no decision.
The Eagles led 2-0 after the first inning. Aaron Mizell plated a Spencer Duffie one-out double and later scored on a Charles Sheffield infield single.
The Mountaineers struck for three runs in the eighth inning off of reliever Jason Richman to take a 4-1 lead.
"Jason Richman has picked us up so many times. It was time for our guys to pick Jason up," Hennon said. "I felt like App State had a good approach against him, and they put some good swings on the ball."
The series continues tomorrow at 2 p.m. Senior righthander Tripp Sheppard will take the mound for the Eagles, while the Mountaineers will start freshman righthander Travis Holden.