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San Marcos, Texas – In his first career start, senior pitcher Joseph Dvorsky fired a four-hit shutout in the Southland Conference Tournament championship game to lead the Bobcats to a 9-0 victory over Stephen F. Austin for the program's fourth-ever SLC Tournament title and first since 2000.

With the win, Texas State secured a berth in the NCAA Regionals, which will take place June 3-6. The Bobcats will find out their regional destination on Monday with a live selection show that will air on ESPN at 11:30 a.m. CST.

The regular season and tournament champion Bobcats became just the second No. 1 seed to win the Southland Conference Tournament and the first team to come back and win five games in the tournament after losing an opening-round game since the tournament was changed to an eight-team format.

Texas State improved its record to 40-21 overall this season, the team's second 40-win season in the program's history. The Bobcats need one more win to tie their all-time high of 41 wins set in 2009.

Dvorsky, who began the season as the Bobcats' closer and made 22 appearances out of the bullpen before tonight, was given the opportunity to start the first game of his career and came through impressively. The righty limited Stephen F. Austin to just four hits on the night while needing just over 100 pitches to get through all nine innings. He tied his career high as he struck out five Lumberjacks without issuing a walk. Dvorsky improved to 3-0 on the season after picking up the win.

Dvorsky was one of many stars for the Bobcats both on the night and for the tournament. Also shining for Texas State in the championship game were Andrew Stumph, Bret Atwood and Kyle Kubitza. Stumph finished the game 2-for-4 with two runs scored, three RBIs and a homer, while Atwood contributed a 2-for-5 day at the plate and an extra-base-robbing diving catch in center field in the ninth inning. Kubitza finished 1-for-2 with two walks, two runs scored, two RBIs and a home run.

Texas State took advantage of 26-mile-per-hour winds blowing out to center field early on as Stumph blasted a three-run homer high over the left-field fence for his fifth home run of the season. The home run was the first of the tournament for the Texas State catcher and was part of a four-run first inning for the Bobcats.

In the second inning, Atwood hit an RBI single with one out before patience at the plate paid off for the home team. Casey Kalenkosky walked to load the bases before Kubitza also took a free pass to bring home another run. A balk from Lumberjack reliever Landon Kozeny allowed another Bobcat to cross home plate for the third run of the inning and a 7-0 Texas State lead.

Staked to a seven-run lead, Dvorsky cruised through the Stephen F. Austin lineup, sitting down 18 of the first 20 batters he faced. Aided by a solid Bobcat defense, Dvorsky allowed just one extra base hit on the night.

Kubitza helped add to the lead in the seventh inning when he went to the opposite field for his ninth home run of the season that sailed over the left-center field wall for an 8-0 lead. Cory Falvey then put the final touches on the nine-run victory with an RBI single to right center that brought home Stumph for the final 9-0 tally.

The Bobcats chased SFA starter Justin Braddock (3-3) from the game after just 1 1/3 innings on the mound. He allowed seven runs and lost for the third time this season as the No. 2 seed Lumberjacks ended their season with a 37-23 record.

At the conclusion of Saturday's championship game, the Southland Conference also presented five Bobcats with SLC All-Tournament Team accolades. Dvorsky, Atwood, Gallegos, Kalenkosky and Tyler Sibley all earned SLC All-Tournament Team honors, while Kalenkosky was also named the tournament MVP after going 11-for-24 (.458) with three home runs, nine RBIs and five runs scored during the four-day tournament. In the process, the slugging first baseman also set a new Texas State single-season home runs record, which now stands at 21.

Texas State now awaits to find out where it will be for the NCAA Regionals next weekend. Be sure to check back to www.TxStateBobcats.com for more information about games next week.

Southland Conference All-Tournament Team
Most Valuable Player: Casey Kalenkosky, First Baseman, Texas State

Catcher: Jarid Scarafiotti, Stephen F. Austin

Second Baseman: Tyler Sibley, Texas State

Third Baseman: Bobby Buckner, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

Shortstop: Christian Gallegos, Texas State

Outfiled: Bryson Myles, Stephen F. Austin

Outfiled: Luke Plucheck, Sam Houston State

Outfield: Bret Atwood, Texas State

Designated Hitter: Chris Andreas, Sam Houston State

Pitcher: Todd Simko, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

Pitcher: Joseph Dvorsky, Texas State

Texas State head coach Ty Harrington:

Opening statement: “You couldn't draw up a better scenario for us, to be at home, to have lost the first game of a tournament, battle all the way back and watch the courageous efforts everyone put forth on our team.”

On the key to winning the game: “I thought our pitching and our ability to score early was important for us. I thought our defense again was really good tonight. The past four games our defensive play, particularly in the infield, was really good.

Texas State second baseman Tyler Sibley:

On losing the first tournament game: “There was no panic on our hitters. We pride ourselves in being a veteran lineup. Coach Fikac encouraged us to stick to our plan and that things were going to work out.”

Texas State first baseman Casey “Ory” Kalenkosky:

On coming back to win the tournament after losing the first game:  “It was a tough loss. We knew we just had to stay up at the plate and stay on our approaches and that our pitcher was going to get us through it. Our lineup top to bottom is a very scary lineup. We've had a couple seniors step up with big hits. Cory Falvey came in a sophomore and had an unbelievable tournament.”

Texas State pitcher Joseph Dvorsky: