Charlie Pelt, Dusty Bennett, and Kevin Dooley each drove in a pair of runs, but the Georgia State baseball team (20-22) dropped a 13-9 decision to Georgia Southern Wednesday night in the finale of a five-game road trip for the Panthers.
The two teams matched each other run-for-run in the first four innings. The Panthers drew first blood in the opening inning when Pelt connected for his 10th homer of the season and second in as many days. The two-run shot gave the visitors the early advantage. Georgia Southern scored two of their own in the second, the equalizer coming home on a Panthers error.
In the fourth, State opened up a four-run lead only to see it erased in the home half. Bennett drove in a pair with a single back through the box to plate Chase Childers and Bradley Logan. After a balk put Bennett in scoring position, senior Eric Suttle brought home the redshirt sophomore with a single up the middle. After an infield hit for Jean-Michel Rochon-Salvas, Pelt grounded into a fielder's choice that eliminated Rochon-Salvas at second; the throw to first went wildly, allowing Pelt to reach second safely and letting Suttle score to make it 6-2. But in the bottom of the inning, a pair of two-out hits drove in four runs, with a bases loaded double by Matt Miller plating two and a two-run single by Jeramiah Parker scoring the other pair.
Georgia Southern kept the momentum going, taking the lead in the fifth with a single run and putting the game out of reach with a six-spot in the sixth. Hurlers Aeden McQueary and Tyler Allen kept the Eagles scoreless in the seventh and the eighth, and the Panthers offense tried to mount a rally in the ninth.
Pelt's second hit of the game - career hit No. 232 - started the final frame. With one out, a single by Matt Van Horn put a pair of runners on for the Panthers. With two men retired, Logan Sharrett brought in the seventh run of the game for the Panthers with a single back up the middle that scored Pelt. Dooley then entered to pinch hit for Allen and delivered a double to the gap in right-center to score Van Horn and Sharrett and conclude the scoring with the Panthers falling 13-9.
Neither starter factored in the decision, as Panthers starter Brandon McCreery gave up five runs (four earned) in 3.1 innings and John Ducey allowed four runs in the same span. Joel Reeves (2-1) took the loss as he surrendered three runs on five hits in 1.2 innings. David Cogswell (2-0) earned the win for Georgia Southern, pitching 2.1 scoreless innings.
Next up for the Panthers will be a Friday night tilt with James Madison that marks the beginning of a seven-game homestand for State. First pitch in the Colonial Athletic Association contest from The Field at Panthersville is set for 6:00 p.m.
Notes: Dooley (typically the closer for the Panthers) had his first hit of the season in three plate appearances...McQueary's relief appearance was his first since April 5 of last year...Pelt set a career-high in hits with his 62nd of 2007...It was also the 200th game in his career that he has started...Pelt edged back in front of Luke Gordon for the team lead in batting average at .382, compared to Gordon's .377...Gordon still leads the Panthers in RBIs with 40, keeping Pelt from reaching the lead in all three triple crown categories...All of Georgia State's regulars have now driven in at least 10 runs this season.
