Box Score
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San Marcos, Texas – The Texas State baseball team battled back from a six-run ninth-inning deficit to bring the tying run to the plate but could not complete the comeback as the Bobcats fell 11-10 to No. 18/22 Rice at Bobcat Ballpark on Wednesday evening in front of 1,902 in attendance.
The Bobcats nearly overcame several missed opportunities that plagued the team on Wednesday evening as Texas State committed three errors on defense and left 12 runners on base on offense.
“There were a lot of ups and downs throughout the game,” said head coach Ty Harrington. “We didn't play clean defense. The errors that we made defensively lengthened innings and created opportunities for them. We can't afford to have those kinds of things.”
Despite the miscues, Texas State (2-2) nearly rallied to steal the victory as junior Kyle Kubitza hit a moon-shot grand slam over the 404 sign in straight-away center field to cut an 11-6 Rice lead down to 11-10. Junior Casey Kalenkosky, who hit his second home run of the season earlier in the game, came to the plate next as the tying run, but Rice relief pitcher J.T. Chargois was able to retire the hard-hitting first baseman to help Rice improve to 2-3 overall.
The Texas State offense could not have started the game much better as each of the first four Bobcat hitters got on base with singles to help push the team out to a 3-0 lead. Kubitza, Kalenkosky and junior Jeff McVaney each had RBI singles in the frame.
The buzz prior to Wednesday night's game was junior preseason all-American Carson Smith making his first start of 2011. And Smith was sharp early on, striking out three batters through two and 2/3 innings before a bunt single that hugged the third baseline started a two-out rally for the Owls that tied the game at 3-3.
The score remained until the fifth inning when two Texas State errors turned a potential three-up, three-down inning into a two-run swing in favor of the visitors. The Owls took a 5-3 advantage after scoring two unearned runs that helped them chase Smith from the game after just four and 2/3 innings on the mound.
Kalenkosky cut the Texas State deficit back to one in the bottom of the fifth as he hit a 0-2 pitch over the left field fence for his second home run of the season, but Rice would score two more in the top of the sixth to extend its lead to 7-4.
The Bobcats manufactured a run in the seventh inning without a hit as junior Cody Gambill began the inning getting hit by a pitch and McVaney walked behind him to put two on with no outs. A flyout allowed Gambill to move to third before a wild pitch from Rice's Tyler Duffey allowed him to scamper home for a 7-5 score.
The Owls were able to score four in the eighth inning off Bobcat sophomore reliever Travis Ballew who recorded four strikeouts in two and 1/3 innings on the mound. With the score 11-5, junior Tyler King and freshman Hunter Lemke helped keep it that way as they combined to hold the visitors without a hit for the final inning and 2/3 of the game.
The Texas State ninth inning began promising with a single from McVaney followed by a walk by sophomore Andrew Stumph. Three batters later, the Bobcats loaded the bases with two outs after junior Tyler Sibley worked a full-count walk. The next Texas State hitter, senior Bret Atwood, saw four straight balls to make the score 11-6 and set up Kubitza's grand slam.
“I thought there were a lot of good thing that came out of the game, too,” Harrington said. “I think you saw a team who kept playing a baseball game. I didn't think we shut down. We kept trying to get good at-bats.”
Boogie Anagnostou (1-0) earned the win for Rice after throwing one scoreless inning of relief, while Smith (0-1) dropped his first decision of 2011.
The Bobcats continue play this weekend at Bobcat Ballpark when they welcome Akron for a three-game series beginning on Friday, February 25 with a 6:30 p.m. game. Tickets can be purchased through www.TxStateBobcats.com/tickets, by calling the Texas State Athletics Ticket Office at 245-2272, at the Texas State Athletic Ticket Office located in the Darren B. Casey Athletic Administration Complex or at the gate.
TEXAS STATE BOBCATS
