Feb. 24, 2008

Final Stats

ATLANTA, Ga. - After rallying late in the first game for a win, the Georgia State baseball team did not need late-game heroics to complete its sweep of Jackson State Saturday. The Panthers came from behind to win the first game 11-7, and won 19-0 in the nightcap.

The opening game of the doubleheader was a pitcher's duel until the sixth. Jackson State got on the board first with a homer from Brionne JONES to left in the top of the third. Georgia State (3-0) responded in the bottom of the frame by manufacturing a run. Marc Mimeault laced a double down the left field line to start the inning. Mike McCree drove in the run with a sacrifice fly to center field.

The Tigers (0-3) broke the 1-1 tie on a single from Jerome TYES. Jamaal Thelwell delivered a big blow two batters later with a two-run home run off reliever John Locklear. Jackson State put up two more runs, as Cortez Cole hit a two-run homer to give the Tigers a 5-1 advantage.

The Panther offense came alive in the bottom of the seventh after Tigers starter Charles WILLIAMS left the game. With Childers on second, McCree doubled down the right field line to score Childers. Later with runners on the corners and two outs, Matt Van Horn executed a suicide squeeze to score McCree. Moments later Logan delivered the crucial blast with a three-run homer that tied the game at six.

In the eighth, David Ferrer came in to pitch for the Panthers after Robert Hasenfelt walked the first batter. Ferrer got into a jam a runner on third, and surrendered a run on an infield single from LaDerek Camper. The righty finished the inning with a strikeout, but the Panthers trailing 7-6.

The Panthers continued to score in the bottom of the eighth. Childers belted a two-run homer to left that broke the tie and gave the Panthers an 8-7 lead. Van Horn pushed across a run with a groundout, and Logan brought home another insurance run with a single through the left side that gave State an 11-7 edge.

Ferrer picked up the win in relief. Enrique Quintero sufferd the loss for Jackson State.

Cole and Derek Johnson led JSU's offensive attack, each recording two hits. Cole scored two runs and Johnson had one.

The second game was a different story, as back-to-back doubles from Nick Hogan and Jean-Michel Rochon-Salvas runs put the Panthers up 2-0 in the first.

Mitch Rider opened the second with a solo homer to right center. The Panthers gambled with a double steal that paid off, as Joey Wood and Hogan pulled off the swipe to put runners at second and third. After a bases-loaded sac fly from Rochon-Salvas, Bradley Logan tripled to right field that cleared the bases and gave the Panthers an 8-0 edge. After State batted around, Rider single to score Simmons.

Panther starter Drew Grant gave up two hits, struck out five and walked one in five shutout innings in the win. David De La Calle suffered the loss. In 1.1 innings of work he game up five hits and seven runs.

Georgia State scored runs in all but two innings.

Camper led JSU going 2-3 at the plate. Thelwell and Derek Johnson each recorded a hit.

The teams conclude their four-game series tomorrow at 1 p.m.