JONESBORO, Ark. (5/14/22) – Arkansas State baseball rallied from an early five-run deficit with three runs in the bottom of the seventh, but the comeback fell short in a 7-4 loss to Georgia State Saturday night at Tomlinson Stadium-Kell Field.
A-State (11-34, 5-20 SBC) trailed 6-1 after six innings, but key pitching and a run in the ninth inning helped the Panthers (29-23, 14-12) clinch the series.
Jared Toler led the Red Wolves with three hits, while also scoring and driving in a run.
Will Nash (1-6) struck out five and walked just one in his 4 1/3 innings, but allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits.
Kevin Wiseman punched out four in 1 2/3 frames before handing off to
Max Charlton, who pitched a scoreless seventh.
Brandon Anderson hurled the final two innings, striking out for and allowing one unearned run.
Max Ryerson led Georgia State with three hits, including a home run, while driving in three. Caleb Stewart tallied a pair of hits and two runs scored, as did shortstop Griffin Cheney.
Starter Mason Patel (2-2) tossed five complete for the Panthers, allowing a run on three hits while striking out three. Chad Treadway allowed three runs on two hits in 1 1/3 innings before Ryan Watson pitched the final 2 2/3 innings for his ninth save.
Georgia State scored a run apiece in the third and fourth innings. Cheney singled home Stewart in the third before a solo home run by Ryerson in the fourth gave the Panthers a 2-0 lead.
A-State cut that deficit in half in the bottom of the fourth when
Brandon Hager doubled home
Ben Klutts. GSU responded in the top of the fifth on a two-run homer by Luke Boynton to push its lead to 4-1.
The Panthers added two more in the top of the sixth when Ryerson singled up the middle to drive in Stewart and Cheney to make it 6-1.
Arkansas State battled back from the deficit with its three-run seventh.
Jacob Hager led off the inning with a walk, then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by
Eli Davis. French legged out a triple to score Hager before Toler drove him in on an RBI single to right, prompting the Panthers to call in Watson from the bullpen.
Cail greeted Watson with a single, followed by Klutts working a walk. After
Brandon Hager struck out for the second out of the inning, Deshazier took the first pitch of his at-bat the opposite way for an RBI single that scored Toler.
Georgia State worked around a runner in scoring position in the eighth, then added a run in the top of the ninth on a passed ball.
NEXT UP
Arkansas State looks to take the final game of the series on Sunday at Tomlinson Stadium-Kell Field, with first pitch against the Panthers is slated for 1 p.m. on ESPN+. Prior to first pitch, A-State's eight seniors will be honored on the field in a special Senior Day ceremony. The radio broadcast can be heard on The Ticket Radio Network stations 95.3, 96.9, 104.1 and 970 AM.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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