Box Score
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San Marcos, Texas – Timely hitting and solid pitching resulted in a win for the Texas State baseball team on Saturday afternoon as the Bobcats defeated Sam Houston State, 5-3, in game two of the three-game set at Bobcat Ballpark.
Texas State never trailed as the team improved to 14-4 overall and 5-0 in the Southland Conference while also clinching the season series against the Bearkats (12-7, 1-4 SLC) for the second consecutive year.
Junior Mitchell Pitts made his fifth start of the season and limited the Bearkats to just five hits on the afternoon. He struck out three in seven innings on the mound while improving his record to 3-0 this season. The Bobcats have won all five of Pitts' starts this season.
Sam Houston State starter Brent Powers (2-2) was charged with the loss after giving up five runs on seven hits in five innings.
The Texas State bullpen was on point for the second night in a row as head coach Ty Harrington turned to Fielding Pittman and Joseph Dvorsky in the eighth and ninth innings to close out the game. Pittman allowed just one hit in his inning on the mound, and Dvorsky earned his fifth save of the season while lowering his season ERA to 2.70.
The Texas State offense finished the game with nine hits, three walks and four stolen bases – three of which came from junior Jeff McVaney in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Junior Tyler Sibley extended his hitting streak to 16 games as part of a 2-for-5 day with one RBI and one run scored. Isaac Nuti (2-for-3) and Clint Vest (2-for-2, one run scored) also had a pair of hits on the afternoon. Casey Kalenkosky hit his team-leading sixth home run of the season and finished the game 1-for-3.
With the score tied at 1-1 entering the bottom of the fifth inning, Vest's one-out double to left field started a four-run inning the put the Bobcats in front, 5-1. Joey Fuda reached on an error and Sibley hit a single up the middle to bring home Vest for a 2-1 Texas State lead. After a balk moved the runners up a base, Bret Atwood singled to center, bringing home both runners.
McVaney then reached on a fielder's choice and worked his way around home on three stolen bases. After a traditional steal of second base, McVaney took off for a delayed steal of third and made it just under the tag. A walk by Kalenkosky put runners on the corners, and a double steal by McVaney and Kalenkosky plated the fourth run of the inning.
Sam Houston State cut its deficit to two, 5-3, in the top of the eighth, but Pittman and Dvorsky came on to close out the game for a two-run victory.
The two games face off in the series finale on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Bobcat Ballpark.
