Texas State Athletics

Welcome to the Texas State Invitational website. Bobcat Baseball will host a three-day tournament Feb. 14-16 in which it will welcome Michigan, Washington and Air Force to Bobcat Ballpark. This is your one-stop spot for all of the information on the Texas State Invitational.

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Texas State Baseball Invitational Schedule

Friday - February 14, 2014
Washington vs. Air Force - 12 p.m.	Air Force, 14-9	Box Score	Play-by-Play
Michigan vs. Texas State - 3:30 p.m.	Texas State, 8-7	Box Score	Play-by-Play		Photos
Michigan vs. Washington - 7 p.m.	Washington, 8-6	Box Score	Play-by-Play
Saturday - February 15, 2014
Washington vs. Texas State - 2 p.m.	Washington, 6-1	Box Score	Play-by-Play	Video Replay	Photos
Air Force vs. Michigan - 6 p.m.	Michigan, 8-2	Box Score	Play-by-Play
Sunday - February 16, 2014
Washington vs. Michigan - 12 p.m.	Tie, 7-7	Box Score	Play-by-Play
Air Force vs. Texas State - 3:30 p.m.	Texas State, 6-0	Box Score	Play-by-Play	Video Replay	Photos

Williams Grounds Air Force, Hill Homer Flies
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VIDEO REPLAY

Texas State bounced back in a big way with a dominating 6-0 victory over Air Force on Sunday. Austen Williams led the effort with a career high eight strikeouts and just one hit allowed while Tanner Hill sent a three-run homer far out of the park to bust the game open.
 
Williams, in just his second start of his career and first since 2012, tallied four strikeouts in the first two innings of the game. He finished the day allowing just one hit with career highs in innings pitched (7.2) and strikeouts (eight).
 
Both teams played scoreless baseball through three innings, but the Bobcats jumped on the board in the fourth. David Paiz led off with a single to right field and Tyler Pearson followed with a double to the corner down the left line. With two runners in scoring position, the Bobcats were looking for the first score of the game. Freshman Granger Studdard picked up his first RBI of his collegiate career with a groundout to shortstop to score Paiz from third for the early 1-0 lead.
                          
Big hitter Austin O’Neal flirted with the fence with a deep ball to left field. The ball fell just short for the second out of the sixth inning but it foreshadowed what would come. Tanner Hill walked to the plate with Pearson and Studdard on base and sent a two-out bomb deep over left field that landed in Texas State’s softball field.
 
The three-run roundtripper’s momentum carried further down the lineup. Bailey followed with a hit up the middle and Matt Sanchez walked behind that. Designated hitter Cody Lovejoy sent a rocket down the left line for a double to score both baserunners. Trying to leg out a triple he was thrown out at third, but not before the runs scored to give Texas State a big 6-0 lead.
 
Both teams played two more scoreless innings split among Williams, Goebel and Lemke on the mound. Air Force had no answer for the arms or the offensive onslaught in the sixth, completing the final game of the Texas State Invitational.


Michigan and Washington Ties in Eight Innings
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PLAY-BY-PLAY

Michigan and Washington played each team's final game of the tournament, starting at 12 p.m. Sunday. Both teams had strict travel plans and were on a tight schedule to get the game in. The teams could only complete eight innings, finishing in a 7-7 tie.

Michigan started the game strong with seven runs in the first four innings, scoring three in the first, two in the second and one each in the third and fourth. Washington, however, came on late, scoring two runs in the fourth, four in the fifth and one more in the sixth to tie the game, 7-7.

Michigan starter Evan Hill was able to go 4.1 innings but game up six earned runs with four walks and two strikeouts. Washington played many pitchers. Starter Henry Baker only went 1.1 innings and no other pitcher went more than 2.2 innings.

Jackson Lamb stretched the game open in the first inning with a two-run homer for an early 3-0 lead. Johnny Slater and Jackson Glines kept it going with RBIs of their own. Slater knocked a double and Glines singled. Michigan kept consistent offensive pressure in the third and fourth.

Washington's biggest inning came in the fifth. Catcher Austin Rei started the inning with a walk and scored from second on a double from Erik Forgione. Branden Berry followed with an RBI single to right field and Trevor Mitsui knocked a two-RBI single to complete the scoring in the top half inning.

With the game tied, both teams were up against travel plans to get back home so the game finished after eight innings, the last two scoreless from both sides.


Michigan Bounces Back vs. Air Force
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After two extra-inning losses on Friday, Michigan got a lead early and never relinquished it as the Wolverines dominated Air Force, 8-2, to close the second day of competition at the Texas State Invitational.

Michigan scored four runs in the first two innings, two each inning, for the early 4-0 lead. After Air Force answered with a single run in the fourth, the Wolverines began to put the game out of reach with two runs in the fifth and two more in the eighth. Air Force tried to mount a comeback in the ninth inning but could only muster one run.

Ben Ballantine held the mound for seven innings for Michigan, allowing just one hit and one unearned run. He struck out five and walked three. Mac Lozer finished the game off with a strikeout of his own. He walked one, gave up a run and a hit.

For Air Force, Griffin Jac, pulling double duty as pitcher and hitter, gave up six runs, four earned, on seven hits in seven innings. He walked three and struck out three. In the eighth inning Bo Wilson entered the game. He gave up two earned on two hits.

The Michigan bats went for nine hits led by designated hitter Kyle Jusick (2-for-3, 1 run, 1 RBI) and catcher Cole Martin (2-for-4, 1 run). Five others knocked a hit with Jackson Glines notching two RBI. Air Force's only hits came from the pitcher Jax and left fielder Tyler Jones.

The Texas State Invitational continues Sunday at 12 p.m. with a matchup between Washington and Michigan, and then the Bobcats will finish it up with a 3:30 p.m. game against Air Force.


Bobcats Fall Despite Career Effort from Black
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VIDEO REPLAY

Texas State opened the second day of tournament play with a 6-1 loss to Washington Saturday. Redshirt junior Taylor Black pitched a career high 8.1 innings, striking out eight batters. Unfortunately, despite a home run from senior catcher Tyler Pearson, the Bobcats fell short.
 
Black and the Bobcat defense held Washington to just three runs on four hits through his 8.1 innings on the mound. Both teams played a pretty even defensive game through the first eight.
 
Texas State’s offensive highlight came from Pearson in the seventh inning when he sent Texas State’s first home run of the season over the left field fence to cut the lead in half, 2-1. Before that, the Bobcats only had three base runners, all coming in the first two innings of play.
 
For Washington, Andrew Ely led the way. He tallied two hits, one a solo bomb and the other was an RBI double in the sixth for the early 2-0 lead.
 
With just a 2-1 lead in the top of the ninth, the Huskies put the leadoff runner on due to a hit by pitch. After Washington sacrifice bunted the runner to second base, the Bobcats gave Black a rest. From there, the Huskies added four hits, one of which was a two-run homer en route to the 6-1 final score.


Walk-Off Ends Long First Day at TXST Invitational
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PLAY-BY-PLAY

Washington followed Texas State's walk-off win in the second game of the day with a walk-off home run from Alex Schmidt, his second roundtripper of the game. The third baseman finished the game 2-for-4 with four RBI and two runs scored.

Jack Meggs was a perfect 3-for-3 with two RBI and two runs while two other Huskies finished with two hits. For Michigan, Jackson Lamb led the way with a 3-for-3 game with two RBI and a run, but Cole Martin was 1-for-3 with a three-run bomb of his own. Jackson Glines, the leadoff centerfielder was the only other Wolverine with multiple hits, going 2-for-5 with an RBI.

Washington scored first with two runs in the fifth but Michigan exploded for six runs in the sixth inning. Unfortunately for the blue and gold, those were the only runs they could muster in the game. Washington made it a three-run game with another run in the sixth and then put up three in the eighth to ensure extra innings. Schmidt ended it in the bottom of the 10th.

Washington's Will Ballowe went 3.2 innings in relief without giving up an earned run while striking out two and relinquishing four hits. Starter Jared Fisher struck out five, walked five and gave up five hits and four earned runs. Tyler Davis picks up the win with 0.2 innings of work.

Michigan starter Trent Szkutnik went 4.2 innings. He gave up five hits and an earned run while walking three and striking three out. Unfortunately for Jake Balicki, he picks up the loss. He led the team with four strikeouts against eight batters faced. He only walked one but gave up the final two hits Michigan needed.

Check in Saturday for Texas State's 2 p.m. game vs. Washington and a 6 p.m. matchup between Air Force and the Wolverines.


Bobcats Fight Back from 5-0 Deficit for Walk-Off Victory
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PLAY-BY-PLAY

The Bobcat defense struggled early against Michigan giving up five runs in the first two innings and finishing the day with four errors, but bounced back late to win on a walk-off single from newcomer David Paiz.

After the inauspicious start, the defense rebounded with some impressive plays. Freshman centerfielder Matt Sanchez showed range to make a catch in right centerfield and rifle it to first base for the rare double play from the outfield. Later, three newcomers combined for an infield double play with Paiz making the throw to Taylor Bailey at second who relayed it to Tanner Hill at first.

Helping the defense was strong pitching from Cory Geisler and Hunter Lemke in relief. Over 5.2 innings the duo struck five batters out, walked four and only gave up two hits.

The Bobcat offense provided support late sparked by Garrett Mattlage with an RBI triple in the seventh and a two-RBI single in the eighth. Later, in the 10th inning Cody Lovejoy took first on a walk and Colby Targun sacrifice bunted him to second. From there, Paiz finished Michigan off with a single through the left side. Lovejoy sped home from second just barely beating the tag.

For Michigan, Jackson Glines led the team in hits with a 3-for-6 day. Jacob Cronenworth, Kyle Jusick and Kendall Patrick all tallied two hits with Cronenworth finishing with two walks, two RBI and two runs scored. Logan McAnallen struck six batters out in 4.1 innings of work but gave up four earned runs on six hits and three walks.


Air Force Wins Battle of Big Bats vs. Washington
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PLAY-BY-PLAY

Washington was the first team to strike in the opening game of the Texas State Invitational with a run in the top of the fourth inning but Air Force answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning. The Falcons followed with four in the sixth, two in the seventh and five in the eighth to overcome five errors for the victory.

The Huskies were able to tie the game, 3-3, in the sixth inning. Robert Pehl knocked out a home run in the inning on his 3-for-5 day, finishing with three RBI and two runs.

Air Force bounced back though with four runs in the bottom of the inning to make it 7-3. The Falcons just kept laying down hits, knocking three doubles and a single in the inning.

Washington took its first lead of the game in the seventh inning when the Huskies put up six runs, but a combined seven scores in the seventh and eighth from Air Force proved too much for the Huskies to overcome.