STATESBORO - Georgia Southern Baseball stayed hot, taking a 5-1 win over UNC Asheville on Friday night to open the weekend series. Seth Shuman scattered four hits while posting a career-high 11 strikeouts in his second-straight outing. With the win, Georgia Southern takes its third-straight victory and returns to the .500 mark for the first time in 2019. The Eagles and Bulldogs return to the field for game two of the series on Saturday at 2 p.m.
 
SCORING INNINGS
Bottom 1st - GS 1 - UNCA 0 - A leadoff walk to Steven Curry snowballed for UNC Asheville in the first inning after a throwing error moved Curry up and a Noah Ledford single through the right side drove the run in to make it an early Eagle lead.
Bottom 3rd - GS 2 - UNCA 0 - Four hits put plenty of Eagles on base, but a wild pitch with two outs allowed Tyler Martin to score and double the Eagle lead at 2-0.
Top 4th - GS 2 - UNCA 1 - UNC Asheville made things nervy through the middle innings, taking advantage of a two out fielding error in left field that extended the inning and put a runner aboard.
Bottom 6th - GS 4 - UNCA 1 - Georgia Southern's dominance in the sixth inning continued with a pair of runs in the frame off four hits. Back-to-back doubles from Jason Swan and Matt Anderson scored a run, while a single to center from Martin made it a 4-1 lead. The Eagles have outscored opponents 23-0 in the sixth inning this season.
Bottom 8th - GS 5 - UNCA 1 - Four walks in the eighth inning with a bases loaded wild pitch sprinkled in for good measure gave the Eagles an insurance run in the eighth.

GAME NOTES
 - Seth Shuman scattered four hits over six and a third innings to improve to 1-3 on the year. The one run that scored was unearned, giving the junior his third quality start of the year. Shuman fanned 11 Bulldogs for the second-straight outing, matching a career high set last week. The five runs of support given to Shuman by the Eagle offense was one better than the total handed to the hurler in his first three starts of the year, combined.
- Noah Ledford went 2-for-4 in the cleanup spot in the lineup. Matt Anderson had a pair of hits as well, going 2-for-3. Both Eagles had an RBI in the game.
- Cole Whitney made his second-straight appearance, earning a save for working the final 2.2 innings of work. His second save of the year came as he worked two and a third innings of no-hit, shutout ball. He fanned two and walked one to close out the win.
- Tyler Martin went 1-for-4 to extend his hit streak to five-straight games. He is 7-for-19 in that stretch, hitting .368 over that span.
- Prior to the game, Georgia Southern's Interim President Shelley Nickel threw out the ceremonial first pitch.

UP NEXT
Game two between the Eagles and Bulldogs features as a part of True Blue Saturday. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. at the friendly confines. Coverage of the game is available on True Blue TV and the Georgia Southern Sports Network with an internet only broadcast.