After Winning 7 of Last 8, Baseball Hosts Kennesaw State Tuesday

GEORGIA STATE (8-4) vs. KENNESAW STATE (5-5)
Tuesday, March 7 | 4 p.m. | GSU Baseball Complex

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LEADING OFF
> Georgia State has won seven of its last eight games after a four-game sweep over Brown last weekend, a midweek victory at Alabama State and a series win at Presbyterian.

> The Panthers host Kennesaw State Tuesday at 4 p.m. in the only 2023 meeting between the in-state rivals.

> Georgia State is tied for 8th in Division I with 26 home runs, led by JoJo Jackson with five and Max Ryerson with four.

> Twelve different Panthers have hit at least one homer, including three freshmen--Michael Maginnis, Colin Hynek and Jaden Anderson--whose first career hit was a home run.

> The GSU offense ranks second in the Sun Belt in batting average, third in homers and second in stolen bases, while the pitching staff is second in ERA, first in WHIP and third in strikeouts per nine innings.

> The Panthers scored 30 runs in back-to-back wins at Presbyterian, including a 20-0 victory in Game 2 of the series that equals largest shutout in program history, matching a 20-0 win over Alabama A&M in 2013.

Home Run Graphic

WHO'S HOT
> Dylan Strickland is the Panthers leading hitter at .464, which is No. 2 in the Sun Belt. Over the last five games, the sophomore is 10-for-22 with three homers and 10 RBI. He began this streak by hitting the go-ahead, 3-run homer in the eighth inning last Sunday vs. Brown and also homered twice in the Presbyterian series.

> Over the last eight games, Will Mize is hitting .448 (13-for-29) with three homers and 12 RBI.

> Not only has he hit four homers, but Max Ryerson leads the Sun Belt with a .560 on-base percentage. He is hitting .417 with 10 RBI.

> Sophomore outfielder JoJo Jackson is tied for fourth in the Sun Belt with five homers, along with a team-leading 13 RBI.

> After tossing five scoreless innings in Saturday's win over Presbyterian, RHP Joseph Brandon is fifth in the Sun Belt in ERA (1.38) and fourth in strikeouts per nine innings (13.85).

> Junior outfielder Cameron Jones leads the Sun Belt in stolen bases (14-16).

CAREER WATCH
> After hitting a school-record 22 home runs in 2022, Max Ryerson now has 26 homers in a Panther uniform, tied for ninth in GSU history.

> Add his one season (2019) at Charleston Southern, and Ryerson has 35 career homers, which is tied for 11th among active Division I players.

> Super senior right-hander Ryan Watson is the Panthers' active leader with 12 career saves (third in GSU history) and 13 career victories (T-11th). Justin Malone (14 saves, 13 victories from 2009-12) is the only pitcher in GSU history with more combined wins and saves.

> Among active Division I pitchers, Watson ranks among the Top 20 in career saves.

PRESEASON ACCOLADES
> Max Ryerson was named to Collegiate Baseball's Preseason All-America third team as well as the Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference first team. The super senior outfielder was honored as Sun Belt Conference Newcomer of the Year and first-team All-Sun Belt in 2022, when he hit .335 with 22 homers and 62 RBI.

> Joining Ryerson on the Preseason All-Sun Belt team is junior outfielder and pitcher Cameron Jones, a two-time, first-team all-conference selection and one of five national finalists for the 2022 John Olerud Award as the nation's top two-way player. He achieved the rare feat of leading the Panthers in batting average (.374) and ERA (3.00) in 2022.

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Players Mentioned

#7 Joseph Brandon: RHP; 6' 1"; Freshman; R/R

#25 Ryan Watson: RHP; 6' 2"; Freshman; R/R

#22 Colin Hynek: C; 6' 1"; Redshirt Freshman; R/R

#42 JoJo Jackson: OF; 6' 2"; Sophomore; S/L

#1 Cameron Jones: LHP/OF; 6' 1"; Junior; R/L

#14 Will Mize: INF; 6' 2"; Junior; R/R

#23 Max Ryerson: OF; 6' 2"; Senior; R/R

#10 Dylan Strickland: INF; 5' 11"; Junior; R/R

#24 Michael Maginnis: INF; 6' 0"; Redshirt Freshman; R/R

#38 Jaden Anderson: OF-LHP; 5' 9"; Freshman; R/L

Players Mentioned

#7 Joseph Brandon
: 6' 1"; Freshman; R/R
: RHP

#25 Ryan Watson
: 6' 2"; Freshman; R/R
: RHP

#22 Colin Hynek
: 6' 1"; Redshirt Freshman; R/R
: C

#42 JoJo Jackson
: 6' 2"; Sophomore; S/L
: OF

#1 Cameron Jones
: 6' 1"; Junior; R/L
: LHP/OF

#14 Will Mize
: 6' 2"; Junior; R/R
: INF

#23 Max Ryerson
: 6' 2"; Senior; R/R
: OF

#10 Dylan Strickland
: 5' 11"; Junior; R/R
: INF

#24 Michael Maginnis
: 6' 0"; Redshirt Freshman; R/R
: INF

#38 Jaden Anderson
: 5' 9"; Freshman; R/L
: OF-LHP