STATESBORO - Sam Blancato's 363ft no-doubter highlighted a series-ending victory for the Eagles baseball team as Georgia Southern came away with its first win of the season, 7-3, over the Maryland Terrapins on Sunday.
Maryland (2-1) got on the board in the top of the third inning when a Martin RBI-single would break the scoreless tie, but that would be the only run
Ty Fisher would give up in the contest.
Georgia Southern (1-2) tied the game in the bottom of the third inning with Blancato's RBI-single through the right side of the infield, scoring
Luke Odden. Shortly after that, a wild pitch would bring
Josh Tate home, advancing Blancato all the way to third base.
Jarrett Brown would knock a sac fly deep into right field, allowing Blancato to return home and set the Eagles up with a 3-1 lead after the first three frames.
The bottom of the fourth saw the Eagles extend the lead when Odden smacked a double down the right field line, scoring
Jarrett Jenkins. As the line up turned back over to the top, Tate would sneak a single over the Terrapins' second baseman to bring Odden home, cushioning the lead to 5-1 Georgia Southern.
Maryland would attempt to mount a rally in the top of the seventh inning, when a Orr RBI-single to left field would bring Keister home, scoring an unearned run. In the same frame, a passed back would bring E. Hacopian home, scoring a second unearned run and narrowing the lead to 5-3. The inning ended without any additional damage.
Blancato responded in the home half of the seventh inning with a no-doubt solo jack over the Blue Monster, bringing the lead to 7-3. J.D. Kaiser would bring the lead back to four runs when he sent an RBI-double to right field, scoring Brown and setting the Eagles up with the 7-3 lead, the eventual final.
Ty Fisher notched the first win of the 2024 season after a quality start, pitching six innings with one run on four hits, only walking one and sitting down eight Maryland batters.
Ga'von Wray earned a one pitch save when his first pitch was a fly out to Tate in left field. Johnson earned the loss for Maryland.
UP NEXT
Georgia Southern hosts the first midweek contest on Tuesday, Feb. 20, when the Eagles play host to in-state rival Georgia Tech. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.