What You Need to Know:
* GSU broke a 4-4 tie with a seven-run eighth inning en route to an 11-5 win over Jackson State.
* Joey Roach had two RBI in the game, including the go-ahead run and the 100th RBI of his career.
* Pitching for the first time in his career, sophomore Rhett Harper struck out two in the ninth inning to seal the win.
ATLANTA -- Georgia State broke a 4-4 tie with a seven-run eighth inning to earn an 11-5 victory over Jackson State Monday at the GSU Baseball Complex. Joey Roach had two hits and two RBI, driving in the go-ahead run and the 100th RBI of his career.
With the score tied at 4-4, James Clements led of the bottom of the eighth with a walk. After pinch runner Jaylen Woullard moved to second on a balk, Roach singled through the right side to put the Panthers (9-7) ahead.
That was the first of seven hits in the inning.
Jarrett Hood followed his second double of the day to bring home Roach. Hood also had a run-scoring double in the first inning.
After Jack Thompson walked, Brandon Gonzalez, Zach Wingate, Sam Few and Justin Jones delivered four straight singles, with Wingate, Few and Jones driving in runs. After two were out, Woullard knocked in the Panthers' 11th run with a single.
With GSU now leading 11-4, sophomore outfielder Rhett Harper came on to pitch for the first time in his college career. He needed just three pitches to strike out the first batter he faced, and although he allowed two hits and one run, he also ended the game with a strikeout.
Jackson State (7-7) scored two runs in the first inning, but Georgia State answered with four in the bottom of the inning. After Ryan Blanton and James Clements led off with back-to-back doubles, Blanton came home on Roach's infield single, the 100th career RBI for the senior catcher. Hood followed with his run-scoring double, Jack Thompson plated a run with a sacrifice fly, and the fourth run came home on a balk.
"Joey Roach has been a great player for us and he continues to be a great player," head coach Greg Frady said. "In a year where we need someone of his caliber to have a great year, he is stepping up."
Jackson State added a run in the third inning to pull within 4-3 off starter Bryan White, who allowed three runs on six hits in six innings but did not figure in the decision.
The Tigers tied the game in the top of the eighth on a run-scoring single by CJ Newsome off reliever Devin Vainer. Bryce Conley (3-1) came on to pitch, and with the bases loaded and one out, the Panthers turned a 6-4-3 double play to keep the game tied.
"I think overcoming adversity is what I want to start with," Frady said. "We had a tough loss yesterday, but the team has continued to fight and find ways to win. New people filled new roles today. Rhett Harper pitched for the first time in college, so I'm very proud of him. We turned an unbelievable clutch double play, so the thing that just sticks out to me is how hard this team continues to fight."
Georgia State plays its fifth game in four days Tuesday as the Panthers host Savannah State at 5 p.m. at the GSU Baseball Complex.
