ATLANTA – Georgia Southwestern State University outfielder Jonathan Martin led all players with four hits and four runs batted in, but the Hurricanes could not overcome an early deficit and lost 9-5 at NCAA Division I member Georgia State University on Tuesday afternoon at the GSU Baseball Complex.  

The Hurricanes dropped to 9-14 this spring, while Georgia State improved its record to 5-11.      
 
NOTES 

• It was the first meeting between the schools in 35 years and only the third game played in the all-time series. 
• GSW and Georgia State played twice during the 1984 season, with the Panthers taking both games. The Hurricanes lost 12-5 in Americus and 15-10 in Atlanta.  

STANDOUT PERFORMERS

• Martin finished a home run shy of hitting for the cycle. He tripled in the fifth inning, doubled in the seventh and went 4-for-5 overall with four RBIs.  
• Jason Baita collected three hits, including a double.    
• On a staff day, where the Hurricanes used six pitchers, Jakob Brown turned in the best performance by going 2 1/3 scoreless innings. He held the Panthers to two hits, walked one and struck out a pair.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Georgia State strung together three consecutive singles to open the game and, following a sacrifice fly, added a double to jump out to a 3-0 lead.
• GSW answered with two runs in the third off an RBI single from Martin.
• A pair of walks, two hit batters and three singles in the bottom half of the third inning extended the Georgia State lead to 8-2. 
• Martin roped a two-run triple in the fifth and Andy Moore drove him in with a single to center to pull the Hurricanes within three runs, 8-5.
• GSW left a runner in scoring position after Martin doubled with one out in the seventh, put two men on base with no outs in the eighth and had two more runners on base with one out in the ninth, but came up empty on each occasion.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS 

• Hits were even at 10 apiece after the first inning.
• GSW left nine runners on base. Georgia State stranded eight.
• Both teams put the leadoff man aboard four times. 
• The Hurricanes were 5-for-15 (.333) with an RBI opportunity, but 2-for-11 (.182) overall with two outs. 
• All of GSW's runs were scored over two innings. The Hurricanes pushed across two in the third and three in the fifth. 

UP NEXT

• The Hurricanes travel to 12th-ranked USC Aiken for a three-game Peach Belt Conference series this weekend. Game 1 is Friday at 6 p.m.