May 1, 2010
Final Stats
SAN MARCOS - After playing from behind the entire game, Texas State's resiliency paid off in the bottom of ninth on a walk-off hit from Jeff McVaney and the No. 30 Bobcats took a 6-5 win over UTSA Saturday afternoon at Bobcat Field.
Texas State is now 27-14 overall and 17-6 in the Southland Conference, maintaining its lead in the league. UTSA fell to 14-26 with the loss and 5-18 in the league.
The Roadrunners scored early when Tyler Carpenter singled to open the game and came home one play later on a Casey Selsor triple. Bobcat starter Michael Russo struggled a bit on the mound and a walk loaded the bases for the foe and before the senior could retire the inning, a double-play ball made room for another run to score giving UTSA a 2-0 lead. The Roadrunners tacked on another run in the third and held on to the edge through the fourth frame.
In the bottom of the fifth, Texas State finally broke through with a two-run inning and plated another in the sixth to tie the game. Kyle Kubitza initiated the comeback with a long at-bat to draw a walk and Jordan Kopycinski brought him home on a hard-hitting single roped past UTSA's third baseman. Texas State picked up its second walk of the inning and Bret Atwood took advantage of the situation with an RBI base hit to trim the deficit to one run.
Kubitza came through again in the sixth with a solo homer to tie, but UTSA answered the comeback with a two-run homer from Ryan Hutson in the eighth to take a 5-3 lead.
Texas State came right back in the bottom of the inning with back-to-back base hits from Kyle Livingstone and McVaney. A wild pitch shifted the pair and a sacrifice fly from Jason Martinson drove in a run. Kubitza backed it with an RBI double to left center and Texas State tied the game once more.
An error in the top of the ninth threatened Texas State's comeback, but Garret Carruth came to the mound and retired the inning with six pitches.
With a final chance to take the victory, Clint Vest reached base on walk to put the winning run in place. Colton Burnett replaced Vest on the base paths and on one out, Atwood singled into left field to advance the runners. Livingstone followed with a fielder's choice to third base, putting Burnett out on the play and the Bobcat had just one out to work with. McVaney came through with a shallow base hit into left center to plate Atwood for the win.
McVaney finished the day 2-for-5 with one RBI. Kubitza led the team with a 2-for-3 effort and two runs scored. Altogether, Texas State tallied 12 hits.
UTSA was held to nine hits, led by Hutson and Bret Aguilar with a 2-for-5 effort.
Carruth earned the win and improved to 4-2 on the season.
The Bobcats will head to the Alamo City to close out the series with UTSA. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at Roadrunner Field. KTSW FM (89.9) will provide a live broadcast of the game.
