April 3, 2010

Final Stats

Nacogdoches, Texas - Kyle Kubitza went 4-for-5 with three RBI and Texas State outhit Stephen F. Austin by a 17-13 margin, but the Lumberjacks would not go down without a fight and avoided the sweep with an 8-7 win over the Bobcats Saturday afternoon at Jaycees Field.

Both Texas State and SFA are 17-9 overall, while the Bobcats are 9-3 in the Southland and the Jacks post a 7-4 record. Texas State still maintains a one-game lead over league competition for first place.

Texas State's offense broke for a 3-0 lead in the first when Bret Atwood put a double down the left line. A passed ball put the junior on third and a walk issued to Kyle Livingstone put runners at first and third with one out. Jason Martinson came behind with a sacrifice fly to right field and Atwood was nearly called out at home, but SFA catcher Riley Huble dropped what would have been the third out when tagging him.

The Bobcats continued to swing away with Kyle Kubitza smacking an RBI double into right center and Jeff McVaney closing out the inning with a base hit through the left side to plate the final run. SFA erased the deficit in just one swing when Huble belted a three-run homer over left field wall to even the score in the second.

Texas State regained the lead in the third when Kubitza rattled off his second double of the game to bring in Martinson, who reached on a base hit to left. However, SFA answered with back-to-back scoring frames to take its first lead of the game, a 6-4 advantage by the fifth.

McVaney nearly broke a two-inning silence with a deep hit to left field, but Patrick Gratzke pulled back the potential homerun and Chad Ochs went on to retire the inning.

The Jacks tacked on one more in the seventh on a two-out rally to give SFA a three-run advantage. Justin McAninch laced a double down the left field line and two consecutive base hits poured in the run for a 7-4 score.

The Bobcats scraped back in the eighth with a leadoff double from Kubitza followed by a pair of base hits from McVaney and Stumph to make it 7-5. A fielder's choice hit hard to third base from Clint Vest nearly erased all threats with a 5-4-3 double play, but the junior beat out the throw while grabbing an RBI for a one-run game.

The Jacks snatched the momentum back with a leadoff double of their own, and a pair of sacrifice flies gave room for an 8-6 lead.

Texas State held on to its last at-bat with an infield single from Livingstone to mount the charge. A deep fly ball to right from Martinson nearly cleared the bases, but Bo Coffman held on for the first out. Kubitza followed and blasted his fourth double of the game, a shot down the left line to score Livingstone, but closer Jason West retired the next two batters to avoid the sweep and pick up his fifth save of the season.

Justin Braddock improved to 4-1 with the win and junior Lee Colon takes the loss for Texas State. Colon went four innings, surrendering five runs off five hits with three strikeouts.

The Bobcats return to the field Tuesday night in Waco, Texas when they face Baylor. First pitch at Ferrell Field is set for 6:30 p.m.