What You Need to Know
* Minnesota right-hander Matt Fielder held GSU to two hits in a complete game, 3-0 victory.
* GSU starter Cole Uvila allowed his first runs this season.
* The series continues with a 2 p.m. game Saturday.
ATLANTA -- Minnesota pitcher Matt Fielder outdueled Georgia State's Cole Uvila as the Panthers (5-4) fell 3-0 to the Golden Gophers (6-2) Friday in the first game of a three-game series at the GSU Baseball Complex.
Uvila (0-1), the Panthers' senior right-hander, allowed his first runs this season with an unearned run in the first inning and then a pair of solo home runs. He pitched seven innings with five hits allowed, six strikeouts and two walks.
Fielder (2-1) was even better for Minnesota, tossing a two-hit, complete-game shutout. He also struck out six and walked two. The right-hander held GSU hitless for four innings before Jarrett Hood led off the fifth with a single to left. Rhett Harper had the Panthers' other hit with a single in the seventh.
Minnesota jumped in front with an unearned run in the first, and then the Gophers extended their lead on solo homers by Dan Motl in the third and Austin Athmann in the sixth.
"It was a high-level game in which both teams pitched really well and scoring opportunities were very limited," head coach Greg Frady said. "But give Minnesota credit; they outplayed us. Our guy, Cole Uvila, pitched great, but their guy pitched better. We played some pretty good defense, but they played better. We were kind of quiet in terms of scoring opportunities, and so were they, but they got the best of it.
"Cole did a really good job today," Frady continued. "If you pitch seven innings and give up two earned runs, you put your team in position to win, but just couldn't support him offensively. Garrett Ford did a great job in his outing, and Wayne Wages did a tremendous job, so we put ourselves in position but we just couldn't ever get the offensive inning strung together.
"You have to tip a hat to their pitcher. So the Golden Gophers win Game 1, but we'll come out ready to play tomorrow."
The series continues with a 2 p.m. game Saturday. Listen live on GeorgiaStateSports.com and GSU mobile apps.
