April 27, 2008

Final Stats

SAN MARCOS - Zach Tritz rationed the Lamar Cardinals to eight hits and just one run to fight off a weekend sweep as he helped the Texas State Bobcats take an 8-1 win at Bobcat Field Sunday afternoon.

Thomas Field started the jumpstarted the offense with a lead-off walk in the bottom of the first. Elliott Babcock followed with a single through the right side that shifted Field to third base and Paul Goldschmidt knocked a single through the opposite gap to plate the leadoff for Texas State's early lead.

The `Cats went up 2-0 in the bottom of the second after Ben Theriot dropped in a ball near the left line for two bases and scored on a sacrifice fly from Aaron Fuller.

Tritz maintained control at the mound, facing no more than four batters in each inning while restricting the Cardinals to no more than one hit each half-frame throughout the top eight innings.

Texas State continued to work at the plate, sending Goldschmidt and Lance Loftin across on an Adam Witek base hit through the right side in the bottom of the fifth. The pair jumped off the inning with a walk and a single through the left side, respectively, with one out before Witek notched two RBI.

The `Cats took a 5-0 lead in the sixth and extended the margin to eight in the bottom of the eighth inning. With one out and runners on second and third base, Field belted a triple down the right line and scored on Babcock's follow-up double to right center.

Lamar managed its lone run of the game in the ninth when Chris Dunkin scored off two hits after reaching base on a walk.

Tritz earned his eighth win of the season after the 109-pitch effort. The junior struck out four batters and retired the side in the second and seventh innings.

Field, Babcock and Goldschmidt recorded a 2-for-4 outing, scoring a combined three runs and batting in five toward the `Cats tally.

The Cardinals shifted through six pitchers in today's outing and starting pitcher Ryne Nelson was charged with the loss. Nelson left the game after facing two batters in the first inning. His record falls to 2-1 with the loss.

Lamar and Texas State both move to 14-7 in Southland Conference action and share the third place spot behind Northwestern State (14-6) and Texas-San Antonio (17-4).

The Bobcats will take the field next on Tuesday in a 6:05 p.m. contest against the Texas Longhorns at Disch-Falk Field. This will be the third and final scheduled meeting between the two schools this season.