April 26, 2008

Final Stats in PDF Format

Final Stats

San Marcos, Texas- - For the second straight day, Texas State was unable to hold a late-inning lead and fell in extra innings to Lamar at Bobcat Field Saturday afternoon. The Bobcats had an 8-7 lead heading into the top of the ninth inning, only to watch Lamar tie the game in the top of the ninth inning.

The Cardinals broke the tie in the top of the 10th inning when pinch hitter Jeff Vickers smacked an RBI double to left center to score David Moore from second base and give the Cardinals a 9-8 victory.

Lamar's Brian Needham, who pitched five scoreless innings of relief to earn the victory, was able to retire all three Bobcat hitters in the bottom of the 10th and improved his overall record to 3-2 this season.

Josh Walter suffered his second straight loss for Texas State and fell to 3-3 this season. Walter also was the losing pitcher in last night's 5-4 loss in 10 innings as well.

The Bobcats took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning when Lamar starting pitcher Justin Walker hit Texas State's Elliott Babcock with a pitch. Babcock scored all the way from first base on Paul Goldschmidt's double to left center.

Lamar came back to tie the score in the top of the third when Tyler Link reached first base with a walk, stole second and advanced to third on a sacrifice fly to center field by Brian Taylor. He scored on a passed ball by Bobcat catcher Ben Theriot.

The Cardinals took their first lead in the game in the top of the fourth inning. Chris Dunkin led off the inning with an infield single between third base and the pitchers mound. Texas State starter Steven Siers walked the next two batters, Travis Dunson and David Moore, before giving up a grand slam home run to Nik Gumeson. Gumeson's towering grand slam home run down the left field line put the Cardinals in front 5-1.

Texas State came back with seven runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to take an 8-5 lead. Theriot began the rally with a one-out double to left field. He scored on a single by Spencer Dennis into center field. Dennis advanced to second on Logan Pace's throw to the plate. After Walker struck out Jason Martinson, Thomas Field hit a two-run homer to left center to pull the Bobcats back to within one run. Then, Babcock singled to center and Goldschmidt walked. Lance Loftin drove in Babcock when he singled to left center. Goldschmidt and Loftin moved into scoring position when Moore fumbled the ball in left center.

Lamar head coach Jim Gilligan went to his bullpen after Loftin's single. Matt Morgal came in to relieve Walker and quickly struck out Laurn Randell. But, he threw a wild pitch with Adam Witek batting allowing Goldschmidt to score the tying run. Then, Witek drove in Loftin with a triple to right center.

Needham replaced Morgal in the bottom of the sixth inning and held the Bobcats scoreless the rest of the way. The Cardinals began their comeback in the top of the eighth when David Moore hit a two-run home run to left field off of Siers, cutting Texas State's lead to 8-7. Head Coach Ty Harrington replaced Siers with reliever Aaron Taylor who quickly retired the next two Lamar batters. Siers left the game after allowing seven earned runs on seven hits and striking out four batters.

After a scoreless top half of the ninth inning, Walter came into close the game for the Bobcats. He got off to a rough start when Mathis greeted him with a lead-off triple off the right field wall. Jeremiah Sammy came into pinch run for Mathis and scored on a ball four, wild pitch to Tyler Link, tying the game 8-8. After giving up a sacrifice bunt and another walk, Walter retired the next two Cardinals hitters to send the game into extra innings and set up Vickers' winning hit in the 10th.

Texas State closes out its series with Lamar Sunday afternoon at Bobcat Field with the first pitch scheduled for 1:00 p.m.