Box Score
Box Score (PDF)
Fayetteville, Ark. – The Texas State baseball team saw one streak continue and another end on Wednesday night at Baum Stadium, and neither scenario was a desired outcome.
The Bobcats lost by one run, 6-5, on Wednesday to No. 18 Arkansas in Fayetteville, Ark., marking the team's fourth consecutive loss by a single run. In the process, Texas State second baseman Tyler Sibley had his impressive 30-game hitting streak snapped. Sibley, a junior from Frisco, Texas, did not get hit for the first time this season, ending his program-record hitting streak that dates back to last season.
Texas State led for much of the game, but the Razorbacks seized their first lead of the game in the bottom of the eighth inning and held on for the one-run win.
The Bobcats scored twice in the second inning on back-to-back home runs from Jeff McVaney and Casey Kalenkosky to put the team in front 2-0. McVaney's homer, his fourth of the season, was a blast to left field, while Kalenkosky hit his off the top and over the fence in right field for his conference-leading 11th shot this season.
The Bobcats scored once in the fifth, seventh and eighth innings, but each time the Razorbacks answered with runs of their own. After the team pulled ahead 4-2 heading into the seventh inning stretch, Arkansas scored twice in the bottom of the inning to tie the game at 4-4. In the top of the eighth, the Bobcats were able to manufacture another run after aggressive base running resulted in an Arkansas throwing error that allowed Bret Atwood to score for 5-4 Bobcat lead.
But in the bottom of the eighth, back-to-back triples to start the inning propelled the home team to a two-run inning that put the Razorbacks in front for good.
Texas State dropped to 19-9 overall with the loss, while Arkansas improved to 20-8 this season.
Dylan Adamek (2-2) was charged with his second loss of the season after allowing two runs in two-thirds of an inning on the mound. Colby Suggs (1-0) earned the win with two-thirds of an inning pitched in relief, while Nolan Sanburn came in to close out the game for his fourth save.
Mitchell Pitts got the start for the Bobcats and pitched 4 1/3 innings with three strikeouts and two runs allowed. He gave way to Fielding Pittman, who held the Razorbacks scoreless for 1 2/3 innings before they put four runs on the scoreboard between the seventh and eighth innings to capture the win.
McVaney finished Wednesday's game 3-for-4 with a home run to lead the team, while Atwood (2-for-4) posted a pair of hits, an RBI and a run scored.
The Bobcats' Arkansas trip continues this weekend when the team visits Conway for a three-game series against Central Arkansas. Game one of the series is scheduled for Friday evening at 6:00 p.m.
