March 19, 2009

Final Stats

SAN MARCOS - The Texas State Bobcats scored 11runs in the fourth inning and Cody Gambill went 3-for-3 with three RBIs to lead the team at the plate, but the No. 9 Baylor Bears rapped out 26 hits to overcome the lofty offense and took a 22-17 win Wednesday night at Bobcat Field.

Texas State shifts to 10-7 with the loss, while Baylor improves to 12-4. Matt Steiner was handed the loss after spending 1.2 innings on the mound. The freshman allowed five hits and just two earned runs.

Baylor jumped on the board in the bottom of the second inning with five runs and took a sizeable 17-1 lead by the fourth frame. Texas State's lone run came in the bottom of the third on a solo home run from Tyler Sibley.

Just when it seemed Texas State would not break through, Spenser Dennis laced a double down the right field line to place Paul Goldschmidt who reached on an error from the Bears infield to open the fourth. With Gambill on base as well, after drawing the walk behind Goldschmidt Lance Loftin grabbed two RBIs with a base hit the mirrored Dennis' shot down the right line.

Jason Martinson notched an RBI in the inning on a fielder's choice and Baylor signaled for the pitching changed as the top of Texas State's lineup came around again. Gambill added a two-RBI single to right center, while Dennis and Adam Witek grabbed RBIs off base hits to close out the massive inning.

Texas State added a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth and sixth for a 17-16 game, but the margin would be as close as they would come to the ranked-foe.

Baylor scored two runs in the seventh and three in the eighth that Texas State matched with only a single run in the bottom of the eighth.

The two teams combined for 45 hits in the near four-hour frenzy and all but one Bobcat starter notched a hit. Ben Theriot went a season-best 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI in tonight's game.

Thirteen pitchers took the mound in tonight's game. Taylor Janak was the only hurler to not allow a single run. The junior relieved pitched a perfect 1.2 innings to close the game.

Texas State will shift into Southland Conference mode after tonight's game when they travel to Beaumont, Texas for a three-game rift with the Lamar Cardinals beginning Friday. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. at Vincent-Beck Stadium.