May 28, 2010

Final Stats

Corpus Christi, Texas - For just the second time this season, the Texas State baseball team defeated Nicholls and it wasn't easy. The Colonels chased each Bobcat run until Jeff McVaney set the team apart at the plate and on the mound and led the team to a 9-5 victory Friday afternoon at Whataburger Field.

With the victory, Texas State (36-21) moves on to tonight's game slated for 7 p.m. against UT Arlington. The Mavericks are undefeated in the tournament, but this will be an elimination game for the Bobcats.

McVaney went 3-for-4 with a runs scored and an RBI. In the top of the seventh, the sophomore gave Texas State a 7-5 lead over Nicholls went a base hit down the left line allowed Kyle Livingstone to score from second. Livingstone, who led the team offensively, went 4-for-5 at the plate with three RBI, reached on an infield single.

In the top of the eighth on one out, Tyler Sibley reaching on a base hit up the middle and fielder's choice from Bret Atwood turned into a two-base error for the Bobcats, and with runners on second and third, Texas State had all the momentum in their court. Kyle Kubitza took advantage of the error and belted a double to left field to bring in the Bobcats final two runs.

McVaney retired the first two batters for Nicholls in the eighth on strikes before getting Chase Jaramillo to ground out to the shortstop. In the Colonels last at-bat, a lead-off walk was erased by a double play ball and McVaney struck out Bear Comer looking to end the game.

Bobcat starter Mitchell Pitts was credited with the win after a 6.1inning stint on the mound. Pitts allowed just five runs off nine hits to earn his sixth victory of the season.

Ryan Cooper was charged with the loss for Nicholls. In five innings, Cooper allowed six runs, five of which were earned, off 11 hits.

The Bobcats tagged Cooper for a pair of runs off four hits in the first and tacked on a single run in the second and third frame for a 4-2 lead. Nicholls countered with a pair of runs in the first and fourth frame to tie the game, but a solo homer from Livingstone in the top of the fifth broke the bind.

An RBI single from Clint Vest gave Texas State its sixth run of the day and Nicholls could only match one of the runs, leaving a runner stranded in the bottom of the frame for a 6-5 game.

Tonight's game against UT Arlington can be heard on 89.9 KTSW FM and followed on GameTracker. The Southland Conference will also live stream the game on www.southland.org. Brian Borski is slated to take the mound for the team.