The New Orleans Privateers baseball team opened their 2026 season with a 10-6 loss to Georgia State at the GSU Baseball Complex in Atlanta. Despite falling behind early, the Privateers rallied in the fifth inning to take a brief lead before Georgia State regained control.
New Orleans was down 4-0 before Miles Curley hit a double that scored Carson Hepworth. Dylan Biddick followed with a two-run home run, and after Kruise Newman walked, Karson Evans singled to tie the game. Kareh Valentin then doubled, giving New Orleans a 5-4 advantage.
Georgia State responded in the sixth inning when Wesley Bass hit a solo home run to tie the game. Wills Maginnis added a sacrifice fly RBI later in the inning, putting the Panthers back on top. The Panthers added two more runs with two outs in the same frame.
In the seventh inning, John Beverly and Hunter Carlson contributed RBI singles for Georgia State, extending their lead. The Privateers managed one more run in the ninth inning, but Georgia State closed out the game with Will Bartkoski pitching 2.1 innings for the save. Bartkoski struck out four batters and issued two walks.
Michael Caruso earned the win for Georgia State by pitching 2.2 innings of relief, allowing two runs on four hits and striking out four batters. Jack Garvey took the loss for New Orleans.
Biddick, Valentin, and Evan Rogers each recorded two hits for New Orleans. Curley went 1-for-4 with an RBI double while Carter Freeland had an RBI single during his only at-bat in the ninth.
The series will conclude Saturday with a doubleheader scheduled to start at 1 p.m.
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