May 14, 2006

Box Score

SAN MARCOS - David Wood went 3-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored while Mike Hart tossed seven shut-out innings to earn his third win of the season in a 6-0 series-clinching win over Texas-Arlington Sunday at Bobcat Field.

Texas State (26-27, 18-9 SLC) moved into a third-place tie with Lamar in the SLC standings with the win, while UTA fell to 23-31 overall, 16-12 in league play.

The Bobcats took command early, starting the second inning with a Cody Merrell lead-off double and an RBI double by Wood that made the score 1-0.

Wood came around one batter later, as Jared Bunn lined single into left and coaxed a run-down out of the UTA infield, enabling Wood to cross from third to put Texas State up 2-0.

In the fourth, it was Wood again doubling, this time to lead off the inning, and after a Dawid Bednarek walk, Pat Crumpton grounded a ball to short that put Bednarek out at second.

Wood rounded third and scored on the play, as first baseman Ben Burum threw wide of the plate, enabling Crumpton to reach second. Thomas Field then reached on a second UTA throwing error, this time on shortstop Kyle Rudy that put Crumpton across the plate, extending the lead to 4-0.

Wood again led off the sixth with a single and moved to second on a pinch-hit single by Aaron Garza. Bednarek put down a sac bunt to move both runners up a bag, and pinch-hitter Elliott Babcock followed with a pinch-hit RBI ground out to short that put the `Cats on top 5-0

Texas State's final run came in the seventh, as Cassidy Dresch led off with a single and later scored from third on a sac fly by Merrell.

Down 6-0, UTA threatened in both remaining innings, starting with an eighth-inning lead-off walk by Adam Moore and a line drive by Robby Winn to the right-center gap.

Wood charged the ball and made a diving catch, and the double play became complete when Wood fired to Casey Guest, who tossed to Merrell at first for the inning-ending twin killing.

In the ninth, UTA got a one-out single from Matthew Otteman followed by a pinch-hit walk drawn by James Smith. The potential rally was smothered, however, in the next Maverick at-bat, as pinch-hitter Thad Ledford grounded into a game-ending 6-4-3 double play that secured Texas State's fourth shut-out of the season.

Kyle Jones produced his third-straight multiple-hit game, dropping two bunt singles to go 2-for-4 on the day. Merrell, Wood and Babcock rounded out Texas State's run production, each posting an RBI in the game.

Justin Fiske finished the game for Texas State on the mound, tossing the eighth and ninth with only one hit surrendered, two walks and a strike out. UTA starter Chris Taylor took the loss for the Mavs, falling to 3-5 on the year in a five-inning, six-hit performance on the hill.

Texas State will conclude the regular season next weekend in a three-game split series with Texas-San Antonio that will open Thursday afternoon at 3 p.m. at UTSA's Roadrunner Field.

The series shifts back to San Marcos for a 6:30 Friday night first pitch, and the regular season concludes on Senior Day Saturday, with a 3 p.m. first pitch at Bobcat Field.