May 24, 2007

Box Score

NATCHITOCHES, La. - Justin Fiske pitched a complete game and allowed only seven hits, but Sam Houston State's Bobby Verbick took one over the left field wall for a two-run homer in the fifth inning that proved to be the game's only runs as the No. 3 seed Bobcats fell 2-0 in a rain-soaked opening round of the Southland Conference Baseball Tournament.

Texas State (35-22) will now have to knock off No. 1 seed UTSA to keep its championship hopes alive after the Roadrunners defeated No. 6 seed Stephen F. Austin to open the double elimination tournament. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.

The 'Cats had a hit in each of the first four innings and moved a runner to third in each of the first two, but SHSU (35-22) starter Jacob Howard worked out of trouble each time to keep the game scoreless.

Verbick then broke the scoreless tie in the fifth with his two-out home run that scored Jeremy Holzbach, who had led off the inning with a double.

Texas State threatened to tie in the seventh, loading the bases with one out for David Wood. The 'Cats came up empty though as SLC Pitcher of the Year Luke Prihoda relieved Howard and escaped the jam by getting Wood to ground into an inning-ending double play on the first pitch of the at bat.

A single by Gerry Cervantez in the ninth brought the tying run to the plate, but Prihoda induced a pair of fly outs from Casey Guest and Thomas Field to earn his 16th save of the year.

Cervantez went 2-for-3 for Texas State and was the only Bobcat with more than one hit, while Holzbach also recorded two hits for the Bearkats.

Howard (11-3) went 6.1 innings, allowing seven hits and striking out eight, while Fiske (9-3) allowed two runs on seven hits with two walks and eight punchouts in his nine innings.

Thursday's game between Texas State and UTSA will be broadcast live on 89.9 FM KTSW as well as online through Stretch Internet at txstatebobcats.com. Live stats will also be available at txstatebobcats.com.