What You Need to Know:
* Georgia State dropped its second straight close game at Troy, falling 3-2.
* Freshman Jack Thompson extended his hitting streak to eight games with an RBI-single.
* The series concludes with a 2 p.m. ET game Sunday.
Troy, Ala. -- Georgia State dropped its second straight close game at Troy, falling 3-2 Saturday afternoon at Riddle-Pace Field.
The Panthers (28-22, 14-10) are now tied for fourth place in the Sun Belt Conference standings with UL Lafayette, which faces first-place South Alabama tonight.
The Trojans (28-23, 16-10) got their second straight complete-game pitching performance, today from Lucas Brown (6-2). The right-hander surrendured two runs in the first inning but kept the Panthers at bay after that, scattering five hits the rest of the way. His final line was two runs allowed on six hits with five stikeouts and two walks.
Georgia State jumped out to a 2-0 lead with a two-out rally in the first inning. After Matt Rose was hit by a pitch and Joey Roach walked, freshman Jack Thompson dropped a run-scoring into shallow left field.
James Clements followed with a sharply hit ball off the glove of leaping third baseman Peyton Fuller. The play was ruled an error but Roach came home with the Panthers' second run.
Thompson extended his hitting streak to eight games.
Troy tied the game on a two-run single by David Hall in the fifth inning, and then the Trojans scored the go-ahead run on a controversial play at the plate. On Trevin Hall's single to center, Trae Sweeting made strong throw to the plate, but Logan Hill was called safe at home.
With Georgia State still trailing by just one run, the speedy Sweeting led off the ninth inning with a ground ball to short and slid into first but was called out.
GSU starter Kenny Anderson (5-3) turned in a solid performance, allowing three runs over 5.2 innings, and freshman Logan Barnette kept the Panthers close with 2.1 innings of scoreless relief, including three strikeouts.
The Panthers turned two double plays in the game to give them a Sun Belt-leading 49 twin killings on the season.
The series conclues with a 2 p.m. ET game Sunday.
