April 4, 2006

ATLANTA, GA. -- Ryan Sterling blasted a three-run home in a seven-run second inning and Georgia State took advantage of five Furman errors to claim a 13-6 win over the Paladins in baseball action Tuesday evening.

The loss snapped a six-game winning streak for Furman (17-9), which will entertain Georgia State (13-17) Wednesday night at Furman Stadium.

Tony Maccani, who entered the game as the Southern Conference's leading hitter, went 3-for-4 with two RBI to raise his season batting average to .478. The Paladins banged out 12 hits in the contest but stranded 13 runners. Furman's five errors led to four unearned runs for Georgia State, which collected 15 hits against Paladin pitching.

Patrick Arnett (1-5) absorbed the loss after yielding 11 hits, 10 runs, including nine earned, and one walk over 4 1/3 innings. The Paladin senior righthander, who dropped his fourth straight decision, gave up six hits and seven runs in the second inning, including Sterling's three-run home run to left field, which gave the Panthers a 7-1 lead.

After Georgia State made it 8-1 with a run in the fourth, the Paladins sliced the advantage to 8-4 with three runs in the fifth, highlighted by RBI singles by Maccani and Joe Daysh.

The Panthers, however, answered with two runs in the bottom of the fifth to stretch their advantage to 10-4 and later added three unearned runs in the eighth.

Bobby Bennett (2-2) picked up the win after working 5 2/3 innings and allowing eight hits and four runs, but only one earned.

Justin Newman and Wesley Wilson topped the Panthers' at the plate with three hits each.