GEORGIA STATE (13-11, 5-1 SBC) vs. JAMES MADISON (15-10, 2-4 SBC)
March 28-30 | GSU Baseball Complex

Game 1: Thursday, 6 p.m. (ESPN+)
Game 2: Friday, 6 p.m. (ESPN+)
Game 3: Saturday, 12 p.m. (ESPN+)

LEADING OFF
> Sitting in first place in the Sun Belt Conference, Georgia State hosts James Madison for a conference weekend that shifts to Thursday through Saturday for Easter. The games are Thursday and Friday at 6 p.m. and Saturday at noon at the GSU Baseball Complex.

> After sweeping at South Alabama to open Sun Belt play, the Panthers took two of three from ULM last weekend for a 5-1 record, tied with Louisiana atop the standings.

> The Panthers scored 34 runs in the ULM series, including 13-4 and 11-3 wins in Games 2 and 3. GSU got strong starts from Quin McManmon and Baley Coleman on the mound and production at the plate from Jesse Dohonoe (2 HR, 7 RBI), Michael Maginnis (. 500 avg., .643 OB%, 5 RBI) and JoJo Jackson (.600 avg., ,714 OB%, 3 RBI). 

> In the sweep at South Alabama, Georgia State rallied in each of the first two games before winning 11-1 in Game 3 behind five home runs and an outstanding start by Baley Coleman. On Friday, the Panthers trailed 3-0 in the fifth inning before a five-and-half hour weather delay, then scored eight runs after the resumption to win 8-3. In Game 2, GSU fell behind 7-1 after four but scored seven in the fifth inning en route to the 10-7 victory. 

> Third baseman Will Mize is the Panthers' top hitter, leading the team with a .317 average, six homers and 24 RBI. 

> Senior Ryan Dyal, a transfer from Auburn, has been the most impactful newcomer in the lineup with a team-leading seven home runs and 18 RBI (third on team). The versatile left-handed hitter has caught and played all three outfield positions as well as first base.

> Georgia State has hit 37 homers on the season to rank No. 36 in Division I. Three Panthers have five or more homers: Ryan Dyal (7), Will Mize (6), and Luke Boynton (5) 

> Boynton has moved up to No. 7 in GSU history with 33 career homers, while Mize is in the Top 20 with 23.

> Georgia State ranked No. 14 in Division I with a school-record 110 home runs in 2023. The Panthers return 79 of those homers, including five players who hit 10 or more in 2023: Luke Boynton (16), JoJo Jackson (13), Dylan Strickland (12), Matt Ruiz (10) and Colin Hynek (10). 

> Under fifth-year head coach Brad Stromdahl, Georgia State recorded back-to-back 30-win seasons in 2022 and 2023, a first for the program since four in a row from 2008-2011, when Stromdahl was a GSU assistant coach. The Panthers were 30-29 in 2023, including a 16-14 mark in the Sun Belt.

> Stromdahl took over the Georgia State program in 2020 after seven seasons as the head coach at Georgia Gwinnett, where he started the program from scratch in 2013 and compiled a record of 328-104. He led the Grizzlies to the Avista-NAIA World Series three times, including his last two years (2018-19). In his 12th season as a head coach, Stromdahl is 428-215.

THE ELDER STATESMAN 
> The veteran of the GSU squad as a fifth-year senior, third baseman Will Mize picked up his 200th career hit last game vs. ULM.

> Mize is the 13th player in GSU history to record at least 200 career hits, 100 RBI and 100 runs scored.

> Mize hit .308 with nine homers and 49 RBI in 2023. He has a .302 career average, 23 homers and 128 RBI in 187 career games for the Panthers (166 starts).

SERIES NOTES
> James Madison leads the series 21-8.

> The teams resumed their series last season as JMU joined the Sun Belt. The Dukes took two of three in Harrisonburg, winning two walk-offs before Georgia State took Game 3, 3-1.

> JMU is playing in Atlanta for the first time since 2012.

> Both teams were members of the Colonial Athletic Association from 2006 through 2013.

PITCHING NOTES
> Transfer Rob Evans (Chipola JC) has started every Friday thus far, and the left-hander is 2-1 with a team-leading 31 strikeouts in 27.1 innings.

> Sixth-year senior Baley Coleman, a transfer from LaGrange (Ga.) College, joined the rotation the last two weekends and has been outstanding, going 2-0 with a 0.69 ERA, nine strikeouts and zero walks. 

> Coleman made his first start for GSU at South Alabama, when he threw seven innings and allowed just one run on five hits to earn the victory. Then he pitched six innings vs. ULM and gave up one unearned run on four hits with six strikeouts.

> Coleman went 24-8 with a 3.73 ERA over the last four seasons at LaGrange. He was a two-time ABCA All-Region selection and led LaGrange to the NCAA DIII World Series in 2022..

> Sophomore righty Quin McManmon will make his first weekend start against ULM and pitched five innings, allowing two runs on five hits with six strikeouts. His previous outing was a midweek start vs. No. 20 South Carolina on March 12, when he pitched four innings and allowed just one run on four hits with six strikeouts. 

> Sophomores Brady Jones and Davis Chastain have been the Panthers' top performers out of the bullpen. Jones is 2-0 with one save and a 2.12 ERA after going 2-2 with four saves as a freshman, highlighted by a save in Georgia State's win at Georgia. Davis is 1-1 with one save and a 0.77 ERA.