Atlanta, GA - Georgia State broke open a one-run game with six runs in the eighth inning en route to a 10-3 win over Hofstra in the opening game of a three-game Colonial Athletic Association series.

The Panthers improved to 33-18 overall and 12-10 in the CAA. The Pride fell to 23-25, 8-14 in the CAA after their fourth consecutive loss.

With Georgia State leading 4-3 in the eighth inning, the Panthers scored six times, all with two outs, to seize control of the game. Chase Raffield doubled with one out to start the rally and moved to third on a groundout. Caden Bailey then delivered a two-out double down the right field line to plate Raffield and put the Panthers ahead, 5-3. Chris Triplett followed with his fifth home run of the season, a two-run shot off Brett Schreiber to make it 7-3.

The Panthers added to their lead as Mark Hogan was hit by a pitch, and then Matt Rose helped his own cause with a RBI double. Joey Roach followed with a homer to make it a 10-3 game.

The game started out as a pitchers' duel between Bryan Verbitsky and Rose. Both starting pitchers were outstanding through the first five innings, with Rose allowing only a single run on a wild pitch in the fourth inning. The Panthers managed just one hit off Verbitsky (2-4) before the sixth inning, when the Panthers scored four times to knock him from the game.

Hofstra scored two runs in the eighth as Robbie Cafiero led off with a double down the left field line. After Rose got Taylor Stuart to fly out, he walked pinch hitter T.J. Ehrsam. That brought Jerry Stuckey on in relief, and he struck out Kevin Brantley for the second out of the inning. But Joe Perez came through with a two-out single, his third hit of the day, that scored both runners and brought the Pride within one at 4-3.

Rose improved to 2-2 on the year after allowing three runs on four hits in 7 1/3 innings. Stuckey went the final 1 2/3 innings to notch his second save.

The series continues Saturday at 1 p.m.