March 14, 2010
Final Stats
SAN MARCOS - Shaun Garcia hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth to drive in Kyle Livingstone for the game-winning run in Texas State's 5-4 victory over the Penn State Nittany Lions Sunday afternoon. With the win, the Bobcats completed the three-game sweep and improved their record to 8-6 this season.
Penn State fell to 4-8 overall with the loss as Texas State improved its series record to 5-0 against the Nittany Lions.
A double to right center in the bottom of the third from Bret Atwood led to Texas State's first run in the game. Kyle Livingstone followed with an infield single and a wild pitch from Steven Hill advanced the senior to second base, and allowed Atwood to score. Livingstone came home one out later on a double to right center from Jason Martinson for a 2-0 Bobcat lead.
Hill returned in the fourth and retired the side in order, and blanked the Bobcats in the fifth and sixth inning as well. That gave the Nittany Lions the opportunity to get back into contention.
In the top of the third, Jordan Steranka hit an RBI single for PSU's first run, and a sacrifice fly in the fifth allowed the Nittany Lions to tie the game for the first time.
Texas State scored another pair of runs following a series of walks and wild in the bottom of the seventh, but Penn State clawed back to tie the game again in the top of the ninth inning. The rally began with a couple back-to-back singles to put the tying runs on base. After a groundout, the Nittany Lions tied the score with another single and forced the Bobcats to answer with their rally in the bottom of the ninth.
Livingstone drew a leadoff walk and Kyle Kubitza laid down a sacrifice bunt to put him in scoring position. Martinson followed with a base hit through the left side, and Garcia's long sacrifice into right center pushed the go-ahead run home.
Livingstone went 3-for-3 in Sunday's game with two runs scored to lead Texas State.
On the mound, Lee Colon went seven innings and held Penn State to just three hits and two runs, one of which was earned. The junior also struck out a career-high eight batters in the no-decision.
Carson Smith (1-2) was credited with the win after entering in the eighth and allowing just two runs to score off five hits. Smith stopped PSU from taking a 5-4 lead in the ninth by picking off Steve Snyder to retire the inning.
Texas State's next game will be Tuesday, when the Bobcats travel to Lubbock, Texas for a 6:30 p.m. first pitch at Dan Law Field to face Texas Tech.
