April 15, 2009
Final Stats
SAN MARCOS - Spenser Dennis went 4-for-6 with three home runs to tie the all-time Texas State record for most long balls in a single game and led the Texas State Bobcats to an 18-6 victory over Prairie View A&M Wednesday night at Bobcat Field. Tonight marked the final meeting with the Panthers this season.
Texas State improves to 25-10 overall with its sixth-straight victory, while Prairie View drops to 17-18.
The Bobcats rolled out four runs in the bottom of the first off five hits to take the early lead. Tyler Sibley led off the frame with a single up the middle and Bret Atwood drew a walk, only to be powered home by a two-run double from Paul Goldschmidt. Dennis followed the hit with his first homer of the evening, launching the ball to deep left field for the 4-0 lead.
The Panthers answered back in the top of the second when Jason Thomas laced a triple to bring in two runners, but Goldschmidt maintained the edge in the Bobcats at-bat with a sacrifice fly for a 5-2 game.
The lead slowly trickled away as Prairie View put up three unanswered runs over the next three innings to tie the game at five-all. In the top of the sixth, Evan Richard was hit by a pitch and made his way home off a pair of base hits and a sacrifice fly to give the Panthers a one run lead.
Texas State erased the lead with the next strokes of the bat and put up five runs to close out the sixth. Atwood singled through the left side and Goldschmidt drew a walk in his at-bat, only to come straight home after Dennis' notched his second home run of the night. Lance Loftin stepped right into action and belted a solo shot over the left field fence and Jason Martinson closed out the inning with an RBI-single to plate Kyle Kubitza for Texas State's 10-6 lead. Kubitza, who finished with a pair of hits, reached on a triple to left center.
The Bobcats exploded in the bottom of the seventh for seven more runs to put the game out reach and tacked on its final run with a solo home run from Dennis in the bottom of the eighth.
Dennis' set of home runs tied a previous record of three home runs in a single game set by Wade Haynes in 1987.
Sibley, Atwood, Goldschmidt, Kyle Livingstone and Martinson all finished with a pair of hits. Jordan Kopycinski went 3-for-4 with a single RBI in tonight's effort.
Texas State outhit Prairie View 21-12.
Bryant Rutledge was credited with the win, his first of the season.
The Bobcats will return to the field Friday when they delve back into Southland Conference action for a three-game series against the Northwestern State Demons. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. in Natchitoches, La.
