The Sports Inquirer

Release from Georgia State Athletics:

David Levy and Joey Roach combined to drive in five runs to back a strong pitching peformance by starter Nathan Bates and the Georgia State bullpen as the Panthers downed Georgia Southern 6-2 in the opening game of the final regular-season series.

Georgia State improved to 29-23 overall, 15-11 in the Sun Belt, while Georgia Southern is 28-24, 16-12.

Levy provided the key hit with his bases-loaded triple in the sixth inning that broke open a one-run game and extended the Panthers’ lead to 6-3.

The senior from Marietta also produced a big defensive play. The Panthers’ starting second baseman all season long played right field for the first time in his career. In the first inning, he caught a fly ball and then threw a strike to first base for a double play.

Bates (5-3) pitched six strong innings to earn his fifth victory of the season, scattering six hits and two runs while striking out six with two walks. Jerry Stuckey, Wayne Wages and Kevin Burgee finished the game with three innings of scoreless relief.

Georgia State jumped in front with a pair of runs in the first inning. Caden Bailey and Matt Rose started the two-out rally with back-to-back singles, and then Roach delivered a two-run double to right center.

Justin Jones added an RBI-single in the second to extend the Panthers’ lead to 3-0 off Georgia Southern starter Evan Challenger (5-3), who entered the game with a league-leading 1.69 earned run average.

After the Eagles pulled within 3-2 with runs in the fourth and sixth innings, Roach also started the Panthers’ three-run sixth with a one-out double to the left field corner. Jack Thompson and James Clements drew walks to load the bases with two outs, and that’s when Levy ripped his triple just inside the bag at first base and into the right field corner to clear the bases.

Hunter Thomas drove in both runs for Georgia Southern.