Georgia State Takes Both Games of Doubleheader from Troy

Saturday, March 18

Atlanta, Ga.

12 p.m.

Troy University

13-5, 0-1

Georgia State

10-8, 1-0

Troy

Georgia State

Photo by: Troy University

Georgia State Takes Both Games of Doubleheader from Troy

3/18/2023 7:30:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 GM 1 Box Score GM 2 Box Score

By: Troy Athletics Communications

ATLANTA, Ga. – It wasn't the Trojans' (13-5) day as they dropped both doubleheader games to Georgia State (10-8) to open Sun Belt conference play on Saturday afternoon. Troy fell 10-9 in game one and 15-5 in game two from the GSU Baseball Complex.

In game one, after an eight-run inning by the Panthers, the Trojans nearly completed the comeback with six runs in the final two frames, hitting five home runs in the game with two each from William Sullivan and Shane Lewis.

A sixth run inning in game two by the Panthers put Georgia State up 10-0, and Troy could not come back. Georgia State hit four home runs off Trojan pitching in the second game.

Kyle Mock, between the two games, had six hits, two RBIs, and a home run for Troy.

GAME ONE:
The Trojans looked to jump out to an early lead by loading the bases in the first two innings but were only able to plate one run as Kavanagh hit a sacrifice fly to center field with no more damage being done.

The damage came in the top of the third as Sullivan and Lewis sent solo shots to give Troy a 3-0 lead.

Brady Fuller was dealing as he had six strikeouts through the first three innings without allowing a single base runner. The first hit of the ball game for Georgia State came in the top of the fourth. That hit would be the first of three to load the bases for the host.

Like the Trojans, the Panthers scored their first run of the afternoon courtesy of a sacrifice fly to make it a 3-1 game. The Panthers continued to attack Fuller as they took the lead with six singles in the bottom of the fourth, taking a 4-3 lead. However, Troy just couldn't get out of the inning as Georgia State put up an eight spot in the inning without a single base hit.

Fuller (1-2) would get out of the fourth, but his day would be done after going four innings, allowing eight runs on eight hits with eight strikeouts and one walk.

The Trojans got to Panther starter Joseph Brandon (1-0) early in the game, but he settled down and went five innings, giving up three runs on seven hits with four walks and three strikeouts. Troy was just 1-11 against him with runners on base, leaving eight stranded.

A solo shot off reliever Kristian Asbury in the bottom of the fifth gave the Panthers their ninth run.

Lewis continued to produce as he hit his second home run of the game in the top of the seventh, this one a two-run shot pulling Troy within four. This was Lewis's second game this season, hitting multiple home runs.

The Panthers got one run back and their 10^th of the day in the bottom of the seventh off Asbury, who finished his afternoon going 2.1 innings, allowing four hits, two runs, and two strikeouts.

A four-run top of the eighth for the Trojans quickly made it a one-run ball game. As a leadoff walk to Tremayne Cobb Jr. came around to score after Kavanagh's second sacrifice fly of the afternoon. Another walk to Caleb Bartolero brought up Sullivan, who launched his second home run of the game to make it a two-run ball game.

Sullivan was immediately followed by a Mock home run making it a one-run ball game. However, Troy couldn't capitalize in the ninth as Zach Ottinger struck out the side and picked up his second save of the season.

GAME TWO:
The ball continued to leave the ballpark as Georgia State took a 2-0 lead as Matt Ruiz hit his fourth home run of the year after Zach Fruit (2-1) nearly got out of the inning after allowing a leadoff double with two strikeouts.

Fruit went four innings, allowing seven runs on six hits finishing with six strikeouts and two walks.

It was 10-0 before Troy got on the board in the sixth with a Mock single scoring Kole Myers.

Georgia State immediately made it 14-1 with four runs in the bottom of the seventh and 15-1 in the eighth.

Troy added four runs in the top of the ninth, with the first coming from a throwing error. The Trojans then loaded the bases for Brady Moore, who seemed to hit a grand slam but was called out for passing a runner on the base paths scoring only three runs.

Georgia State starter Ryan Watson (1-1) went seven innings allowing one run on six hits and striking out six to get his first win of the season.

The Trojans will return to Troy and welcome Florida A&M on March 22^nd from Riddle-Pace Field at 6 p.m. for a midweek contest against the SWAC opponent.