CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Elian Merejo's two-run single capped Georgia State's ninth-inning rally to give the Panthers a 7-6 victory over Charleston Southern and a sweep of Saturday's doubleheader at CSU Ballpark. Georgia State opened the twin bill with a 15-6 victory to win the three-game series and even its record at 3-3.
Merejo's game-winning hit capped an outstanding weekend for the Panther designated hitter, who went 5-for-8 with a homer and five RBI in the three-game set.
Luke Leonard had five RBI, including a grand slam, in the doubleheader, while Brandon Bell had four hits, four runs scored and three RBI on the day.
GAME 1: GEORGIA STATE 15, CHARLESTON SOUTHERN 6
Georgia State exploded for 15 runs on 12 hits to back a strong start by Jake Rogers and lead the Panthers to a 15-6 victory over Charleston Southern in Game 1 of Saturday's doubleheader.
Rogers (1-1), the senior right-hander, pitched five innings and allowed two runs on four hits with three strikeouts to earn his first victory of the season.
Luke Leonard hit a grand slam, and Brandon Bell and Daino Deas drove in two runs each to pace a GSU offense that produced runs in every inning but two.
Georgia State (2-3) jumped in front with a two-run first inning. After Griffin Cheney walked and Jake Corso doubles, Elian Merejo singled to bring home Cheney, and Nick Piccappietra's bloop double to right field put the Panthers up 2-0.
The Panthers extended their lead with a run in the second, two in the third and another in the fourth, including a rare, 2-run wild pitch in the third. With Cheney at third and Bell at second, the pitch bounced in the dirt and rolled toward the CSU dugout. Cheney scored easily but Bell motored around third and kept going,sliding under the tag safely.
Leading 6-2 after five, the Panthers put up three runs in the sixth, highlighted by Deas' two-out, two-run single. Leonard's grand slam, his first homer of the season, came in the top of the ninth to put the game out of reach.
GAME 2: GEORGIA STATE 7, CHARLESTON SOUTHERN 6
Elian Merejo's two-run single capped a three-run ninth-inning rally to give Georgia State a 7-6 victory over Charleston Southern to complete the doubleheader sweep.
The Panthers rallied twice in the final three innings, tying the score at 4-4 with three runs in the seventh and then scoring three in the ninth.
After Charleston Southern scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth to take a 6-4 lead, Luke Leonard was hit by pitch to lead off the ninth. Griffin Cheney ripped a single up the middle and Brandon Bell singled through the right side to load the bases with no outs off CSU reliever Ryan Stoudemire (0-1).
Jake Corso's sacrifice fly pulled the Panthers within one. Cheney and Bell moved up on a passed ball to put runners at second and third for Merejo, whose single up the middle ricocheted off the pitcher and into left field, allowing both runners to score to GSU ahead 7-6.
Freshman Ryan Watson (1-0) retired the Buccaneers in the ninth to earn his first victory with two scoreless innings.
Four Georgia State pitchers allowed just two hits to Charleston Southern, but one of them was Stoudemire's first-inning two-run homer and the Bucs capitalized on 11 walks.
The Panthers trailed 4-1 after six innings. Daino Deas led off the seventh with a single, and Leonard followed with a double to put runners at second and third. Cheney's fly ball to left scored Deas, and the Bell doubled down the right field line to drive in Leonard. Then Corso delivered a run-scoring single to center to tie the game at 4-all.
"Our guys showed a lot of heart and grit tonight," head coach Greg Frady said. "We were down multiple times in the game and came back every time, and we put together a rally in the top of the ninth after giving up the lead in the bottom [of the eighth]. To win the series on our first road trip is a good start.
"Elian Merejo had an excellent series the entire weekend and had the game-winner tonight. Brandon Bell played well, Jake Corso played well, Griffin Cheney played well. I'm proud of Ryan Watson again for some tough pitching and crucial outs at the end of the game. We put Seth Clark in a really tough spot in the middle of the game and he came through, and Trey Horton gave us a good start.
"Conversely the first game was a very well-played game for us in all three phases. We played good defense, well pitched pretty dang well and we really hit."
The Panthers return to Atlanta for a midweek home-and-home against Georgia Tech, playing at Tech Tuesday and then at home at the GSU Baseball Complex, both at 4 p.m.
