What You Need to Know:
• Georgia State dropped its second straight game to Troy, 9-3, Saturday at the GSU Baseball Complex.
• Eight Georgia State seniors were honored in pregame ceremonies.
• Sunday's 1 p.m. series finale is the final home game of the season.
ATLANTA -- Eight Georgia State seniors were honored in pregame Senior Day festivities, but the Panthers dropped their second straight game to Troy, 9-3, Saturday at the GSU Baseball Complex.
Playing without two key starters, including top player Joey Roach, due to injury, Georgia State (23-28, 9-17) has strugged to score runs in the series. the Panthers managed nine hits in the game but hit into two double plays and stranded 12 runners on base.
Troy (29-23, 14-12 Sun Belt) starter Lucas Brown (7-4) was outstanding, scattering seven hits over seven innings and allowing just two unearned runs with seven strikeouts and one walk.
The Trojans took a 3-0 with single runs in the first, third and fourth innings before Georgia State got on the board on Jack Thompson's RBI single in the bottom of the fourth.
The Panthers scored again in the fifth as Ryan Blanton reached on a two-base error and then scored on Jarrett Hood's double, his Sun Belt leading 20th of the season, but GSU trailed 6-2 at that point.
Thompson was 2-for-2 in the game, while James Clements and Hood each had a single and a double.
Freshman Darius Sewell had an RBI-single in the ninth inning to extend his hitting streak to 11 games.
Catcher Brandon Gonzalez, playing in place of Roach, made two outstanding defensive plays in the seventh inning with a diving catch on a bunt that was popped up in foul territory and then a pickoff throw to catch a runner off third base.
Shortstop Justin Jones also made several nice defensive plays, highlighted by a diving catch on a popup into shallow left field.
Chase Smartt led Troy with two hits and three RBI, while Justin Friend and Payton Fuller hit solo home runs.
Sunday's 1 p.m. series finale is Georgia State's finale home game of the season. The Panthers close the regular season at Georgia Southern next weekend.
