Statesboro, Ga. --- The Georgia Southern baseball team (4-3, 0-0 SBC) came away with an 11-inning win over South Florida 94-3, 0-0 AAC) on Sunday afternoon (February 23rd) in the final game of the series.

On an afternoon that saw six lead changes and ties, a whopping thirteen pitchers were used from both squads as they closed out their first-ever series with one another. South Florida immediately threatened in the top of the opening inning as a hit batter followed by a walk issued by true freshman Thomas Burke. It would eventually lead to two runners in scoring position with two down, but a fly ball in foul territory would erase the threat. In his first collegiate game, Burke would go 4.1 innings without giving up a run and only allowed one hit. Although walking four, the lefty struck out nine in his 89 pitches tossed.

The Eagles would crack the scoreboard off a leadoff homer from the bat of JD Kaiser on the very first pitch of the bottom of the second. The crack to right-center was the Statesboro native's first of the season after starting the season hitting .250. The very next Eagle half inning, they added on three more with an RBI single from Josh Tate, scoring Daniel Haab who had walked and advanced from a bunt. Two batters laster, Sean Smith would work his magic again, crushing a homer to left field to up the score to 4-0.

After a 1-2-3 fourth frame, Haab found himself on second again after walking and advancing from a bunt. It was deju vu for the Eagles as Tate slapped another single to score him and add one on the scoreboard. However, South Florida was not leaving Statesboro without a fight.

It would be an immediate response as well. With one out, the proceeding two batters both reached from a walk and hit batter before a strikeout would stop the flame slightly. But, three straight singles from the 9-1-2 spots in the Bulls' lineup would plate three to make it a two-run game. Three innings later in the eighth, a leadoff double and a home run to center by Sebastian Greico would tie up the game at five. Later, an RBI one-out single with a runner on third would see the Bulls take their first lead of the game with just six outs remaining for the Eagles. 

Although Georgia Southern would leave two stranded in the bottom of the eighth, the Bulls would top it and strand all the bases in the ninth after a strikeout from the arm of Davis Smith fird up the restless Eagle crowd. The bottom of the ninth also saw the Eagles strand two, as a Smith walk and J.C. Peacher single brought up Sean White, who sat down on strikes to send the game to extras tied at six.

After a quiet tenth that only saw one hit, the 11th inning saw the Bulls score two off two runs and three hits before Sawyer Osborne cam in and shut down the inning. The bottom frame saw Tate get his fourth hit of the day with a single right back up the middle before another single by Sean Smith put them on first and second. Two fielders choices and a walk later were what tied it before a strikeout put two away and the bases loaded. On a 3-2 count with daniel haab at the plate, the final pitch was just low to walk in the winning run for the Eagles.

The last extra innings win for the Eagles was back in April 2022, where they beat Presbyterian in 10 innings. For Josh Tate, his four-for-five performance was the first time he had achieved it in his career, and the first since Jarrett Brown against Jacksonville last season in the beginning of May. For Rodney Hennon, he now ties Jack Stallings with 859 program wins with the nail-biting victory on the day.

Next, georgia Southern hosts the College of Charleston Cougars on Tuesday night at 6 p.m. at J.I. where it is the first of two midweek games of the week.