PANTHERSVILLE--Starter Will Palmer gave up just two hits over five innings and every starter in the Georgia State lineup collected at least one hit as the Panthers defeated Alabama State 20-4 today at The Field.
"I thought this was our best overall game we've played so far this season," said Panthers head coach Greg Frady. "We had solid pitching throughout the game, timely hitting, and just more of a winning attitude from start to finish."
After scoring 14 runs in the final three innings of last night's contest, the Panthers (2-4) picked up where they left off with three runs in the first. A sac fly by sophomore Chase Childers scored sophomore Michael McCree-who tripled to start the game-to give State the game's first run. A double by senior Charlie Pelt scored junior Jean-Michel Rochon-Salvas to add State's second run. Then, a two-out single by junior Luke Gordon put State ahead to stay at 3-0.
Alabama State (0-5) scored in the top of the second on their first hit of the game, a home run to left by James Jordan. State answered back with three runs in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI single by Childers and a two-run double for Rochon-Salvas.
The flood gates opened in the fifth as State scored eight runs to put the game away. Freshman Bradley Logan scored a pair with a bases loaded double to start the scoring. A wild pitch with the bases reloaded plated the next run. With the bases loaded, a grounder to second by Pelt turned into a two-base error, allowing two runs to score to extend the inning. A dropped fly ball in right off the bat of senior Aeden McQueary brought in two more runs. Junior Zac Wright's single up the middle scored the final run of the eight-run frame.
State scored two more in the seventh as Pelt doubled off the base of the wall in center, then scored on a McQueary single. Kenny Camp's single through the right side plated McQueary to make it 16-2.
That's how the score stood until the bottom of the eighth, when sophomore Nick Pyron earned his first hit in style. After just missing a home run in his previous at bat, Pyron turned on the first pitch and hit a towering drive to left field for a grand slam to make the score 20-2.
Alabama State scored two runs in the ninth to make the final 20-4.
Will Palmer (1-1) limited Alabama State to just two hits and two runs in five innings. The remainder of the Panthers bullpen combination of Adam Bowling, Camp, Tyler Allen, Brandon McCreery, and Robert Hasenfelt limited Alabama State to one earned run and two hits over the remainder of the contest.
Georgia State will return to action this Wednesday when they travel to face cross-town rival Georgia Tech. Game time is slated for 4:00 p.m.
Notes: After going 7-for-8 in the series, Gordon is now batting .500 with six runs scored and six RBIs...The 20 runs are the most Georgia State has scored since a March 11, 2005 win over Stetson...Georgia State's ERA for the series was 2.12...Alabama State hit just .188 for the series...Palmer is the first starter to win a game this season for the Panthers...Georgia State is now 10-0 all-time against the Hornets.
