April 8, 2006

Box Score

NATCHITOCHES, La. - David Wood had six RBIs while six Bobcat batters posted two or more hits, as Texas State secured a series win over Northwestern State with a 15-2 victory Saturday at Brown-Stroud Field in Natchitoches.

Texas State (16-19, 12-5 SLC) had to come from behind for the win, as Northwestern State (14-18, 2-9) had gone up 2-1 early in the game.

Wood finished the day 2-for-4 while setting a new career-high for run production, while Kyle Jones scored four runs in a 3-for-5, two RBI outing. Cody Merrell also had three hits, going 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored.

Luke Cannon went 2-for-3 with three RBIs and three runs scored.

Bobcat starter Dan Donaldson got the win, pitching eight innings with six strike outs to improve to 4-3 on the season, while Drew Brown carded the loss for NSU, dropping his record to 3-4.

The Bobcats took a 1-0 lead on Cannon's first-inning, two-out home run to right, but NSU answered to take its first lead of the series in the third inning when Miles Durham homered over the center-field wall, scoring Scott Pittenger to make the score 2-1.

The Bobcats regrouped to take the lead for the remainder of the game in the top of the fifth, starting the inning with singles by Thomas Field and Cassidy Dresch.

Jones put down a sacrifice bunt and reached base on the play when NSU starter Drew Brown misplayed the ball, leaving the bases loaded for Cannon.

Cannon drew a walk for the inning's first run, followed by an RBI hit-by-pitch for Merrell that put Texas State on top 3-2.

Wood drove in the inning's final run, chopping a fielder's choice ground ball to the middle of the infield, scoring Jones to put the `Cats on top 4-2.

Texas State went on a two-out rally to add to its lead in the sixth, as Dresch got to second on a fielder's choice play in which Pat Crumpton was put out at the plate in a rundown.

Dresch would score when Jones singled through the middle, and after stealing second, Cannon walked to leave two on for Merrell, who loaded the bases by being hit by his second pitch of the game.

Wood slammed a single into center to secure Texas State's second-straight three-run inning, scoring Jones and Cannon to put Texas State up 7-2. The rally ended when Merrell was put out trying to advance to third on the play.

The Bobcats stretched the lead to 8-2 in the seventh when Aaron Garza crossed on Field's RBI double, and in the eighth, Wood lifted a deep fly ball to center with Jones at third, giving the `Cats a 9-2 lead on the sac fly.

Texas State's six-inning ninth started when Jones ripped a bases-loaded single that scored Dawid Bednarek and put the `Cats up 10-2.

Field later scored on a wild pitch, while Dresch came across on an infield single to the first base side by Cannon. Merrell then doubled to left center scoring Jones, followed by a two-RBI single by Wood that gave Texas State its 14th and 15th runs in the game.

Texas State will go for the sweep as the series concludes Sunday, with first pitch slated for 1 p.m. at Brown-Stroud Field in Natchitoches.