The Sports Inquirer

Release from Georgia State Athletics:

Caden Bailey homered in the top of the 11th inning to give Georgia State a 1-0 lead, but South Alabama scored two in the bottom of the inning for a 2-1 walk-off win Saturday night at Stanky Field.

Georgia State (26-17, 13-5 Sun Belt) dropped its second straight game to the Jaguars (28-16, 13-7) but remains in first place in the Sun Belt Conference by virtue of its .722 winning percentage.

The Panthers’ starting pitcher Kenny Anderson was outstanding, pitching 8.2 shutout innings in which he allowed just four hits and struck out a career-high seven. The senior left-hander also picked off two baserunners, one at first base and one at second.

South Alabama’s Austin Bembnowski was equally effective with eight scoreless innings and six strikeouts.

The game remained scoreless until Georgia State had two outs in the top of the 11th inning. Bailey, the senior third baseman, had a 3-2 count against reliever Ben Taylor (5-1) and fouled off several pitches before belting the eighth pitch of the at-bat over the right field fence. The solo homer is Bailey’s second of the season and the fourth of his career.

In the bottom of the 11th, South Alabama loaded the bases and tied the game on a bases-loaded walk by Ryan Raspino. Then Cole Billingsley singled home the winning run for the Jaguars.

The Panthers played their ninth extra-inning game of the season but lost for the first time in six Sun Belt games that have gone extras.