Feb. 10, 2006

Box Score

SAN MARCOS - Scott Moore threw seven shut-out innings, holding New Mexico to three hits while striking out eight and Cassidy Dresch went 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI in Texas State's 2-0 win Friday over New Mexico.

New Mexico (1-1) left nine runners stranded in the game, and Bobcat freshman reliever Mike Hart tossed the final two innings of the contest to pick up his first career save. Hart gave up one hit and one walk while facing nine batters in two innings.

Texas State (1-3) survived New Mexico's first threat of the game when Moore worked out of a two-out, bases-loaded jam, forcing Lobo first baseman Daniel Stovall to ground out to Thomas Field. The grounder ended the inning, leaving three aboard and sinking a potential New Mexico rally.

The Bobcats got their first run of the game in the fourth inning, when Cassidy Dresch reached base on a bunt single and was moved to second on a balk by New Mexico starter Nate Melek.

Kyle Jones singled Dresch to third, and after Melek's first wild pitch moved Jones to second, the Lobo hurler threw a ball-four wild pitch to Aaron Garza that brought Dresch home to make the score 1-0.

Texas State would strike again with a two-out fifth-inning rally after catcher Dawid Bednarek lined into a double play at second base to open the inning.

Pat Crumpton reached on a two-out fielding error, and advanced to third when Thomas Field got on by way of a throwing error, leaving runners at second and third with two outs.

Dresch laced the next pitch into right field to score Crumpton, but Field was gunned down at the plate on the play by New Mexico right fielder Chris Dabbs, ending the inning with the score 2-0.

The teams combined to scatter three hits over the next three and a half innings, and Hart came on to close down the final two for his first-career save.

Matt Foote reached to lead off the ninth for New Mexico after being hit by the first pitch of the inning and was moved to second when Ian Hollick walked, putting two on with no outs.

New Mexico pinch hitter Chad Itokazu put down a sacrifice bunt that moved the runners to second and third, but Hart put Lobo catcher Zach Arnett down on strikes and forced Ryan Barba to foul out to Jones in right, securing the series-opening win for the Bobcats.

Jones and Garza joined Dresch as the only Bobcats to reach on base hits in the game, and Crumpton finished the contest with a run scored.

Chris Carlson went 2-for-4 to lead the Lobos at the plate, while Hollick (1-for-3) and Jay Russell (1-for-4) rounded out New Mexico's hit column in the Lobos' first loss of the season.

Melek was the only pitcher used by New Mexico, tossing eight innings with two strike outs, four hits and one earned run in his first start as a Lobo.

Texas State and New Mexico will resume the series with game two of the three-game set Saturday in San Marcos. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m. at Bobcat Field.