May 12, 2005

SAN MARCOS - After ten days away from the baseball field, Texas State returns to the diamond this weekend for three games against McNeese State in the final home series of the season for the `Cats.

Texas State (30-19, 13-8 SLC) last saw the diamond more than a week ago, losing 6-1 to Dallas Baptist. Prior to the DBU loss, Texas State took two of three from Southland Conference foe Southeastern Louisiana.

McNeese State (19-29, 8-13 SLC) has won six of its last ten ballgames, and the Cowboys are looking for their third straight conference series win. The Cowboys had taken two of three from Texas-Arlington and Louisiana-Monroe in consecutive weeks, before taking 12 days off from the diamond.

On the mound, the Cowboys will begin the series with Jacob Marceaux, who carries a record of 4-5 with a 3.28 ERA in 13 appearances. Marceaux has pitched 82.1 innings, striking out 87 batters this season. Saturday, McNeese will send Cameron Chandler to the mound. Chandler is 3-7 with a 5.72 ERA and 46 strike outs in 72.1 innings pitched.

Sunday, Bryan Cartie will take his 4-2 record and 4.29 ERA to the hill. Cartie has fanned 35 batters in 42.0 innings pitched. Cartie is also the team's leading hitter, playing shortstop when not pitching, with an average of .361 and 29 RBIs. Cartie is the team's hit leader with 66 and his 47 runs scored are tops for the Cowboys as well.

Taylor Faul leads the team in RBIs with 36, while Charlie Kingrey is just behind with 34 runs batted in. Faul and Cartie are the only McNeese batters over .300.

For the Bobcats, Kyle Anson has been the season's offensive catalyst, bringing a team-best .355 average and 47 RBIs to the plate. Anson also leads the team in home runs with seven, and his team-leading RBI total is fourth best in the Southland Conference.

Dominic Ramos has scored an SLC-best 48 runs this season, in addition to leading the `Cats in hits (66) and stolen bases (15). Ramos is one of three Bobcat batters over .300, hitting .320 this season. Nolan Mast is the other `Cat hitter over .300, also hitting .320 with six home runs and 33 driven in.

Texas State will begin the weekend by sending Scott Moore to the mound Friday. In 21 appearances, Moore is 4-4 with a 3.02 ERA and a Bobcat-best 61 strike outs in 62.2 innings pitched.

Chris Jean will get the start Saturday, bringing a 6-4 record and 5.05 ERA to the mound. In 67.2 innings pitched, Jean has 54 strike outs.

On Sunday, a milestone is on the line for the Bobcats as Bobby Sawicki will take the hill in search of the Texas State all-time career strike outs mark. Sawicki has fanned 46 this season, just three short of the all-time mark (233). In 13 starts, Sawicki is 6-2 with a 4.08 ERA in 70.2 innings pitched.

Sunday will also be the final game at Bobcat Field for eight Texas State seniors, and the team will play four more times this season prior to the BellSouth Southland Conference Baseball Tournament. The `Cats play on the road next Tuesday at Baylor, followed by a three-game series next weekend at Lamar.

Friday's game against McNeese State is slated for a 6:30 p.m., first pitch, with Saturday's game two to follow at 3 p.m. Sunday's senior day ballgame will begin at 1 p.m., at Bobcat Field. Sunday's game can be heard on 89.9 FM, KTSW, as well as world-wide on the Internet through College Sports Pass at www.txstatebobcats.com.