TROY – No. 8 seed Arkansas State scored four runs in the first inning and rolled to a 6-2 victory to eliminate No. 5 seed Georgia State from the 2015 Sun Belt Conference Baseball Tournament. 

Senior Zach George launched the second pitch of the game off the light post in left field to put Arkansas State (27-29) in front. The Red Wolves continued the early onslaught as sophomore Joe Schrimpf and junior Austin Baker reached base on hit by pitches before junior Tanner Ring doubled down the left field line to score Schrimpf. Baker came into score on a wild pitch, while Ring moved to third on the play. After a walk, senior Collin Massanelli grounded out to first scoring Ring and making the score 4-0 after half an inning. 

Arkansas State advances to the semifinals of the Sun Belt tournament where it will play No. 1 seed South Alabama at 9 a.m. CT tomorrow. The two teams played on day one of the tournament as South Alabama won 6-2. If the Jaguars win tomorrow’s contest they will advance to the championship game.  The Red Wolves will need to beat the Jaguars once to stave off elimination and twice to advance to the title game. 

Georgia State appeared to  cut into the Red Wolves’ lead in the second inning as freshman Justin Jones hit a double with runners on first and second, but the trail runner didn’t touch second base, taking both runs off the board and leaving the score at 4-0. 

“I felt like the poor start we had to get off the ground really set the pace and we had to work uphill,” Georgia State Head Coach Greg Frady said. “The baserunning call at second base was a pivotal point in the game too. Those two things made it such a mountain and we could never get back on top.” 

Georgia State did pull two runs back in the third inning as junior Matt Rose powered his 16th home run of the season over the left field wall with senior Caden Bailey on base.

Arkansas State restored its advantage with two runs in the top of the fourth. Freshman Jeremy Brown was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Senior Lucas Feddersen reached as junior catcher Joey Roach was charged with an error after trying to barehand Feddersen’s sacrifice bunt attempt. George walked to load the bases. After two strikeouts, Ring inflicted the damage as he singled to center to score Brown and Feddersen. 

Senior John Glidewell started for the Red Wolves, but only managed to pitch one-plus innings as he gave up one hit and four walks before he was pulled in favor of senior Colton Kibler. Kibler pitched 6.1 innings while only giving up five hits and two runs while striking out four.  At one point, Kibler retired 12 straight Panthers. Sophomore Tyler Zuber picked up his first save of the season as he pitched 1.2 innings of perfect relief.

“When we put Colton in the game it kind of changed the tempo of the game,” Arkansas State head coach Tommy Raffo said. “He was able to get some quick outs and when you get that and shorten the game their lineup doesn't flip and their middle of the order guys are pretty good and we didn't want to see them."

George set the tone for the Red Wolves as he went 3-for-4 with his solo home run.  Ring finished 3-for-5 with a run and 3 RBIs.

“You open up the first at bat of the game with a solo home run and that set the tone for us for the first inning,” Raffo said, “Zach was locked in right away and put a good barrel on the ball and that got us going right away.”

Georgia State pitchers recorded a season high of 14 strikeouts. Junior Garrett Ford (1-3) earned the loss as he pitched two innings and surrendered four runs on four hits. Junior Cole Uvila relieved him and pitched 3.2 innings. Uvila struck out seven while giving up one hit, four walks, and two unearned runs. Junior Alex Hegner and senior Connor Stanley each pitched 1.2 innings of shutout relief while striking out three. 

Rose accounted for all of the Georgia State scoring with his two-run home run.  Freshman Jack Thompson recorded two of the Panthers’ six hits.