Blanton Leads 7-4 Win Over South Alabama to Even Series

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Blanton Leads 7-4 Win Over South Alabama to Even Series

ATLANTA -- Ryan Blanton homered and then drove in the go-ahead run with a bunt single in a four-run eighth inning as Georgia State rallied to defeat South Alabama 7-4 Saturday at the GSU Baseball Complex, evening the Sun Belt Conference series at one game apiece.

Jerry Stuckey finished the game with 2.1 innings of scoreless relief, allowing just one hit and striking out two, to earn the victory for Georgia State (22-25, 8-15 Sun Belt), which has won five of its last seven games.

With Georgia State trailing 4-3, Nic Wilson led off the eighth inning with a double to wall in center field. With one out and pinch runner Trae Sweeting at second, Matt Rose hit a hard ground ball to the shortstop, whose throw was wild, putting runners at first and third.

Caden Bailey delivered a single through the left side to score Sweeting and tie the game at 4-4. After pinch hitter James Clements drew a walk off reliever Ben Taylor (3-3) to load the bases, Blanton got a bunt down on a safety squeeze, but the third baseman could not make a play. Blanton was safe with a single and Rose scored from third with the go-ahead run.

With the bases still loaded and only one out, Chad Prain smacked a two-run single to left for two insurance runs, giving the Panthers a 7-4 lead.

Chase Raffield put Georgia State on the board first with a solo home run, his 11th of the season, in the fourth inning.

South Alabama (21-25, 10-12 Sun Belt) answered with a run in the top of the fifth on sacrifice fly by Garrett DeGallier, but the Panthers turned an inning-ending 5-4-3 double play to limit the damage.

After David Levy drew a one-out walk for GSU in the bottom of the fifth, the left-handed hitting Blanton belted a 2-1 pitch over the wall in right field for a 3-1 lead. That was the third homer of the season for the freshman center fielder.

"I think everyone on this team is working for these seniors to get into that conference tournament," Blanton said. "They are great role models, and we just want to go out and lay it on the line for them."

GSU head coach Greg Frady said, "The player of the game is Ryan Blanton. The two-run homer was amazing, and the squeeze to give us the lead was amazing. He played great today. I think this was the best, most complete game he's had for us all year."

South Alabama tied the game in the sixth, scoring two runs on just one hit, and the Jaguars took the lead in the seventh, scoring a run on an RBI-groundout by Davis Knapp. Stuckey came on with a runner at third and got Cole Gleason to fly out to end the inning.

"Thank goodness for Jerry today," Frady said.

Neither starter figured in the decision. GSU's Nathan Bates allowed just one hit and struck out four in 5.1 innings, but he was charged with three runs after walking four and hitting two batters. South Alabama starter Kevin Hill gave up three runs on five hits in 5.2 innings with nine strikeouts.

The series concludes Sunday in a 1 p.m. that will be broadcast on WRAS-FM 88.5. Ten Georgia State seniors will be honored in pregame ceremonies.

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