April 6, 2008

Final Stats

SAN MARCOS - Four home runs, including a grand slam in the fifth inning coupled with a season-tying hit tally and a season-best stolen base mark highlighted the Texas State Bobcats first Southland Conference sweep of the season in the 13-4 victory against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Zach Tritz pitched seven innings to notch his sixth straight win and maintain his perfect record on the mound. The victory at Bobcat Field Sunday afternoon gives Texas State a 9-3 league record and a 17-10 overall mark this season.

The two squads traded runs in the first inning and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi added anonther run in the top of the second to take an early 2-1 lead. But, Tritz and Texas State's defense held the Islanders scoreless during the next five innings.

That is when State's offense went to work with Paul Goldschmidt leading off the fourth frame with base hit to centerfield. Ben Theriot followed with a line drive to the second baseman for a quick double play, but Trey Hernandez kept the `Cats alive by walking Spenser Dennis. Lance Loftin put the Bobcats in front 3-2 when he launched a pitch over the centerfield wall.

The next inning, Texas State scored four runs on just two hits to extend its lead. Field led off with a base hit up the middle and Adam Witek and Theriot drew a pair of walks to load the bases. Following the two walks, Matt Hudec came into pitch for the Islanders. Spencer Dennis jumped on the hurler's first pitch and sent it far over the left field wall, clearing the bases and giving the Bobcats a 7-2 lead.

The Islanders fought back with a homer of their own on Hernandez' two-run shot in the top of the eighth. He drove in Stephen Flora, who had reached on a lead-off single to left field. Zach Boles was brought in to relieve Tritz on the mound and got the final two outs in the inning to hold off the comeback.

Texas State exploded for five more runs in the bottom of the eighth. Elliott Babcock led off the final rally with a solo homerun to left field. Six hits later the Bobcats walked away with its third-straight victory over the Islanders. This was Texas State's first series sweep over an SLC opponent since March 2007 when the Bobcats won three games against Texas-Arlington at Clay Gould Ballpark.

Field and Dennis both notched three hits and scored two runs apiece to help out at the plate, with Dennis grabbing a game-high five RBI. Goldschmidt went 4-for-5 in the afternoon showcase that included a two-run homer in the eighth frame. The `Cats doubled the Islanders hitting total, 18-9.

Chase Williams led TAMU-CC at the plate, going 3-for-5 and scoring one run. Hernandez took the loss for the Islanders, his sixth unsuccessful outing this season.

The Bobcats will return to the field Tuesday night to start a grueling five-game week. Texas State will open with a 6:05p.m. first pitch at Dell Diamond against the Texas Longhorns before hosting the Houston Cougars Wednesday night at Bobcat Field. The team will then jump back into Southland Conference action, taking on the Southeastern Louisiana Lions in Hammond, La. to close out the weekend.