Feb. 27, 2009

Final Stats

Corpus Christi, TX - Right-handed senior Zach Tritz held Texas A&M-Corpus Christi to just one run on nine hits over eight full innings on the mound and Keith Prestridge belted a two-run homer in the top of fifth to lead the Texas State Bobcats to a 7-4 victory over the Islanders Friday night at Whataburger Field to open the 2009 Southland Conference season.

Texas State improves to 4-2 overall and 1-0 in league action and helped head coach Ty Harrington earn his 300th-career win at the helm of the Bobcat baseball program. Tyler Sibley and Ben Theriot joined Prestridge with a pair of hits in tonight's winning decision.

But A&M-Corpus Christi handed Texas State its first run after putting Sibley on base to open the game on an error from third base. A sacrifice fly and ground out shifted the leadoff to the scoring corner and Prestridge's base hit to left center put the Bobcats on the board.

It seemed A&M-Corpus Christi would match the effort when Brandon Bell singled through the left side in the bottom half and advanced to the scoring corner on a pair of miscues, but Tritz threw out three strikeouts to keep Texas State on top.

The Bobcats rapped out three hits in the top of the second and quickly moved ahead to a 3-0 lead after Lance Loftin and Theriot crossed the plate. Loftin hit a double and scored on a base hit from Theriot, while the junior catcher crossed the plate on a ground out double-play.

Tritz retired the side in the bottom of the second and held three Islanders on the base paths, while Paul Goldschmidt's double sent Sibley home after reaching on a base hit for a four-run lead.

Texas State grew to a 6-0 margin in the top of the fifth with its second home run of the season, coming off the bat of Prestridge as one of two hits he claimed for the night.

A&M-Corpus Christi finally broke through to trim the lead off two hits to score Famigiletti who walked to open the frame.

The Bobcats final run came in the top of the seventh came on an Islander throwing error.

Up 6-1, Tim Heath came in to relieve Tritz in the mound and the Islanders took to his arm, rattling off four hits for three runs to pose a threat, but with two outs Tyler Brundridge earned his second save of the season, striking out J. Perez who respresnted the tying run, for the final out of the evening.

The Bobcats notched 10 hits over the Islanders.

J. Marek went 4-for-4 and led A&M-Corpus Christi's 13-hit decision. Andrew Toppert took the loss, allowing six hits and four runs over 3.0 innings.

Game two of the series is set for 2 p.m. at Whataburger Field.