May 25, 2007

Box Score

Natchitoches, La.-- The Bobcat bats came out in full force right away against Stephen F. Austin on Friday, May 25 in the Southland Conference Tournament. 12 Texas State hits, including a David Wood homer run, propelled the team to a 7-0 victory over the Lumberjacks. The Bobcats survive another day in the tournament and sent SFA packing.

Texas State improves to 37-22 overall this season and the loss puts Stephen F. Austin at 31-28.

Wood set the pace in the first inning with a two-run homer, putting Texas State up, 2-0. Wood brought in Laurn Randell, who doubled to right center. The home run was Wood's 14th of the year. Mike Hart was on the mound for the Bobcats, throwing his second complete game of the year and improves to 8-5.

The Bobcats took a 6-0 lead after the third inning, with Casey Guest, Thomas Field, Randell and Gerry Cervantez all scoring. Guest reached on an error by the third baseman, Field hit a fielder's choice and Randell was hit by a pitch, loading the bases for Wood. The Long Island, N.Y. native hit an RBI single, driving in two runs. Aaron Garza hit a ball out to centerfield, scoring Randell in the top of the second.

Cervantez scored in the top of third off of a Guest sacrifice fly, after he walked and stole second base.

The Bobcat catcher had a busy day at the plate, going two-for-four and scoring his second run of the day in seventh inning. He doubled to right center and was brought home by a Guest single.

The `Cats and `Jacks pressed on despite nature threatening SFA right fielder, Jared Pitts. A swarm of bees attacked Pitts in the top of the eighth, delaying the game for a couple of minutes.

Hart took care of business from there on out, allowing only one hit in the last three innings. He retired nine batters, allowed three hits and walked one.

Wood's home run was his 95th hit of the season, allowing him to break the school record in single season hits. The previous record was held by Jacob Spencer who posted 94 hits in the 2002 season. Wood ends the day going two-for-five and has 96 season hits going into the next game.

Texas State will have to wait out the results of the Texas-San Antonio, Sam Houston State game to see how many games they'll have to play. If Sam Houston State wins, the two will battle it out in the final at 1:00 p.m. If the Bearkats drop to the Roadrunners, then the Bobcats will face Sam Houston State in a semi-final game, with the winner facing UTSA.

Regardless of who wins tonight, Texas State will play at 1:00 p.m. and they'll face Sam Houston State. The UTSA, Sam Houston State game starts at 7:00 p.m. tonight. The Bearkats have not yet suffered a loss in the tournament.

Earlier on in the day, Lamar was eliminated from the tournament after UTSA defeated them, 7-6 in ten innings.

Southland Conference Results
No. 1 UTSA, 7 -- No. 2 Lamar, 6 (10)
No. 3 Texas State, 7 -- No. 6 Stephen F. Austin, 0
No. 1 UTSA vs. No. 4 Sam Houston State at 7:00 p.m.