Max Ryerson (HR No. 19)
Jett Parker
11
Winner Mercer MER 36-12
5
Georgia State GSU 27-23
Winner
Mercer MER
36-12
11
Final
5
Georgia State GSU
27-23
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Mercer MER 0 0 1 2 0 2 0 1 5 11 12 0
Georgia State GSU 0 4 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 5 13 0

W: Luke Sutko (3-2) L: Acosta, Rafael (1-2)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Panthers Fall Despite Ryerson's 19th HR, GSU-Record 19 Strikeouts by Staff

ATLANTA -- Georgia State fell to Mercer 11-5 Tuesday at the GSU Baseball Complex despite Max Ryerson's 19th home run and a school-record 19 strikeouts by the Panther pitching staff.

The game was tied at 5-5 after seven innings, but Mercer (36-12) took the lead with a run in the eighth and then added five in the ninth.

Ryerson, the National Player of the Week after hitting four homers last week, belted his Sun Belt Conference-leading 19th long ball with a solo shot to lead off the second inning. His 19 home runs are the most for the Panthers in more than 20 years. The only Georgia State players with more homers in a season are Chad Smith with 21 in 2000 and Jason Glover with 20 in 1996.

Six Georgia State (27-23) hurlers combined for the school-record 19 strikeouts, including five by Rafael Acosta and four each by starter Joseph Brandon and reliever Trent Reddick.

The previous record of 18 was originally set against Furman in 1996 and then equalled in a 12-inning game vs. Louisiana in 2018.

Georgia State jumped in front with four runs in the second inning. After Ryerson's homer, Dylan Strickland and Dalton Pearson doubled to put runners at second and third with one out. Chase Wullenweber and DeAngelo Abboud delivered back-to-back RBI singles, and then Griffin Cheney's sacrifice fly made in 4-0. 

The Panthers collected 13 hits on the night, including three hits by Cameron Jones, but left nine on base and hit into three double plays.

Trailing 4-3, Mercer took the a 5-4 lead on Treyson Hughes' 2-run homer in the sixth. 

Jones tied the game for GSU in the seventh with a run-scoring single before Mercer regained the lead for good in the eighth.

Georgia State heads on the road this weekend for a Sun Belt Conference series at Arkansas State, beginning Friday at 7 p.m. ET.
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