March 22, 2006

Box Score

SAN MARCOS - Texas-Pan American scored three runs in the eighth inning to complete a five-run comeback Wednesday, as the Broncs beat Texas State 5-4 at Bobcat Field.

Texas State (11-15) made three errors during the UTPA rally, while the Broncs (13-18) spoiled a Texas State threat by forcing the `Cats to leave the bases loaded in the eighth.

The Bobcats scored first, plating two runs in the bottom of the third to take a 2-0 lead.

Thomas Field opened the inning with a one-out double, followed by a Heath Keel single that left runners at the corners for Kyle Jones.

Jones pushed Field across and moved Keel to third with a single into center field, and one batter later Luke Cannon recorded his only RBI of the game, lifting a fly ball into left field to move Keel across on the sacrifice fly.

Texas State would add to the lead in the fifth, again opening with a one-out base hit from Field.

Keel then doubled to right center to score Field from first, and Keel crossed from second on an RBI single by Jones, who moved to second base when the throw to the plate got by the UTPA catcher.

UTPA cut the Bobcat lead to two in the seventh inning as T.J. Gilmer reached first base with one out on a wild-pitch strike out by B.J. Boening.

Louie Alamia, who went 3-for-4 for the second straight day, laced one of his two doubles into left center, scoring Gilmer for the first Bronc run of the game.

Alamia moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a passed ball, making the score 4-2 through seven innings.

In the eighth, pinch hitter Lyndon Bartosh reached first on a walk and was replaced by pinch-runner Ruben Shives, Jr. Shives reached second base when Leighton Autrey reached on a bunt single, and Shives moved to third when Justin Fiske's pick-off attempt at second got by Field and went into center.

With runners at the corners, Autrey stole second base and again a Bobcat throw got into center field, as Shives scored on the error by Bobcat catcher Lance Schramm, cutting the Bobcat lead to one.

Gilmer then moved Autrey to third with a sacrifice bunt, but Gilmer was able to reach base when David Wood's throw to first pulled Casey Guest off of the bag.

Gilmer promptly stole second base on the next pitch, and Alamia moved both runners up one with a sacrifice fly into center that scored Autrey to tie the game at 4-4.

Osiel Flores gave the Broncs the lead when he lifted a one-out fly ball into right, deep enough to score Gilmer and put UTPA on top 5-4.

Texas State threatened in the eighth, starting with a Cannon single that extended his hitting streak to 16 games. Cody Merrell was then hit by a pitch for an SLC leading 11th time, and both moved up on Elliott Babcock's one-out ground-out to second.

Pinch-hitter Pat Crumton got on with a two out walk that loaded the bases, but Dawid Bednarek's sharp line drive was tracked down by Alamia in left to end the inning and the bases-loaded Bobcat threat.

Alamia had two RBIs in the game for the Broncs as well as a run scored, while Gilmer scored twice in UTPA's second-straight win.

Keel and Field each went 2-for-4 with two runs scored for the Bobcats, while Jones drove in two in a 2-for-5 day at the plate.

Texas State will look to build on its best nine-game Southland Conference start in school history this weekend, when the Bobcats visit McNeese State in a three-game series beginning Friday in Lake Charles, La.

Texas State is 7-2 in conference play, having started 6-3 through its first nine games four times in the program's 21-year history. First pitch Friday is slated for 7 p.m. at Cowboy Diamond.