MONTGOMERY, Ala. (Interstat) — South Alabama rallied past Georgia State 7-4 Thursday night at Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium, erasing a one-run deficit in the eighth inning on Blake Guerin’s three-run home run to salvage a Sun Belt victory.

Mitchell Heer pitched seven strong innings for the Jaguars, allowing one earned run on six hits while striking out eight. The right-hander rebounded from a rough outing against Arkansas State on May 14 in which he allowed six earned runs in three innings. Heer worked efficiently, retiring the side in order in the first, third and sixth innings and keeping Georgia State’s hitters off balance until the top of the eighth.

Georgia State starter Michael Caruso lasted only 4 1/3 innings, striking out five but issuing three walks. Reliever Brian Crooms turned in 2 2/3 scoreless innings with five strikeouts, but the Panthers’ bullpen could not hold the lead.

The game was scoreless through the first three innings as Heer and Caruso traded zeroes. Georgia State broke through in the fourth on an RBI single by Carter Bailey, but the Panthers managed only one run despite loading the bases. South Alabama answered in the bottom of the fifth, scoring three runs on Rett Johnson’s two-run single to take a 3-1 lead. The inning was aided by a throwing error from Georgia State third baseman Wills Maginnis that allowed a runner to reach.

Georgia State tied the game in the top of the sixth on a bases-loaded walk and a sacrifice fly, but the Jaguars answered immediately. In the bottom of the sixth, South Alabama plated a run on a single by Stewart Puckett to regain a 4-3 advantage.

The Panthers took their first lead since the fourth inning in the top of the eighth. Carter Bailey led off with a solo home run to deep left field, his third of the season, to tie the game 4-4. After a pitching change, Wesley Bass singled in Hunter Carlson to make it 5-4, and Cole Griffith tripled to center field, driving in two more runs to give Georgia State a 7-4 lead.

South Alabama responded in the bottom of the eighth. With one out, Brennon Wright singled, and Duncan Mathews reached on a fielding error by second baseman Nick Garagozzo. After a mound visit, Guerin crushed a 1-1 pitch down the left-field line for his 16th home run of the season, scoring Wright and Mathews and putting the Jaguars ahead for good, 7-4. Both runs were unearned due to the error.

Georgia State got the tying run to the plate in the ninth after a fielding error by third baseman Stewart Puckett, but Wills Maginnis grounded out to end the game. The Panthers finished with nine hits but left seven runners on base. South Alabama managed seven hits, with Guerin’s homer providing the decisive blow.

Georgia State fell to 27-30 overall. South Alabama improved to 34-22.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of South Alabama 6, Georgia State 5, and Interstat’s ELO system had given the Jaguars a 62.40 percent probability to win.