What You Need to Know:
* Joey Roach hit a grand slam and a two-run homer and drove in seven.
* Caden Bailey went 5-for-5 with three RBI.
* Starting pitcher Marc-André Habeck struck out eight in his GSU debut.
Macon, Ga. -- Joey Roach homered twice and drove in seven runs and Caden Bailey went 5-for-5 with three runs batted in as Georgia State defeated Mercer 14-1 in a seven-inning game on a cold night at Claude Smith Field in Macon.
Georgia State (2-2) starter Marc-Andre Habeck struck out eight to to earn the victory in his debut in a Panther uniform. The junior college transfer from Canada allowed just one run on five hits in four innings while walking just one. He struck out two batters in each of the first four innings.
Roach, a preseason all-conference selection, went 3-for-4 with a run-scoring single in the first inning, a grand slam in the second and a two-run homer in the fourth. That is the first career grand slam and first two-homer game for the junior catcher.
"Marc set the pace, I thought we really hit, and we played great defense," head coach Greg Frady said. "I like where the team is right now, and I love the way Joey Roach hit the ball tonight. He was amazing."
Bailey, the senior infielder, had five consecutive singles. He also scored three runs, the third one giving him 100 runs for his career.
"I'm excited about what took place tonight. We lost a total heart-breaker on Saturday, and the only way to past that is to play again," Frady said. We felt like we needed to have some toughness coming down here because Mercer has a great program. When you put up 14 runs, you make no errors and you pitch like we did, that's an A-plus game.
The Panthers jumped on Mercer (1-3) from the outset. After Roach's RBI-single gave GSU a 1-0 lead in the first inning, Georgia State erupted for seven runs in the second, highlighted by Roach's grand slam to right center.
"I was just trying to have a good approach and put a good swing on it," Roach said. "I had two strikes, so I was just trying to put the ball in play and hit it hard somewhere."
Georgia State pitchers combined for 11 strikeout in the game, which was ended after seven innings with the Panthers ahead by more than 10 runs.
"Marc was comfortable on the mound," Roach said. "Coach [Adam] Scott called a great game to keep Mercer off balance, and Marc just had every pitch today. He could have pitched with his eyes closed."
Mercer starter Ben Lumsden (0-1) surrendured 10 runs on 10 hits in 3.2 innings.
Georgia State returns home to host a four-game series with UMass-Lowell, Friday through Sunday at the GSU Baseball Complex. Call 404-413-4020 to purchase tickets.
