Box Score

Box Score (PDF)

San Marcos, Texas – The Texas State baseball team fell to Stephen F. Austin, 7-6, in the series finale on Sunday afternoon at Bobcat Ballpark for just the Bobcats second loss in conference this season. Despite the loss, Texas State remains atop the Southland Conference standings with a 10-2 record.

The Lumberjacks improved to 20-9 overall and 9-3 in the Southland Conference with the win, while the Bobcats dropped to 19-8 overall.

Landon Kozeny (3-0) picked up the win after pitching one-third of an inning in relief, while Fielding Pittman (1-2) was charged with the loss. Jason West pitched the final three innings for the visitors without allowing a run to earn his fifth save.

For the third straight day, Stephen F. Austin scored in the first inning to take the lead before the Bobcats came to the plate. The Lumberjacks' Bryson Myles hit the first pitch of the game over the left-field fence to put the visitors up 1-0 before three more hits helped make the score 2-0 after one inning.

The Bobcats cut into their deficit with a run in the fourth inning to make the score 2-1. A two-out infield single by Casey Kalenkosky followed by a hit batter put two on for Andrew Stumph who singled up the middle, bringing home Kalenkosky for the Bobcats' first run of the game.

After a Lumberjack run in the top of the fifth inning, Texas State responded with two runs in the bottom half of the frame to tie the game at 3-3. A long single off the wall in left field by Tyler Sibley preceded a walk from Bret Atwood to put a pair of runners on base for Kyle Kubitza. The junior hit a triple over the head of the SFA center fielder to clear the bases, and he nearly came in to score before being thrown out at the plate. The throw from the outfield to third base missed the cutoff, giving Kubitza an opening to head home, but SFA starting pitcher Zack Taylor backed up the play and threw home to catch Kubitza and keep the score tied.

The teams continued to trade runs through the middle innings with each team scoring two in the sixth inning before SFA scored two and Texas State added one in the seventh to make the score 7-6 in favor of the Lumberjacks. Stumph hit a two-run homer, his third of the season, in the sixth for the Bobcats and Kalenkosky doubled off the wall in center field to bring home Bret Atwood in the seventh inning.

Jeff McVaney pitched the final 2 2/3 innings for the Bobcats and kept the visitors off the scoreboard, but he was matched by West who limited the Bobcats to just two hits over the final three innings to cap the Lumberjack victory.

Stumpth (2-for-4) finished with a pair of hits and three RBIs to lead the team. Kubitza (2-for-3) knocked in two runs and Kalenkosky (2-for-4) added a run scored and an RBI. Sibley (1-for-4) extended his hitting streak to 30 games dating back to last season with a single.