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Round Rock, Texas – After averaging nearly seven runs per game in its first three games of the season, the Texas State baseball team was held to one run by the Baylor pitching staff on Wednesday evening at Dell Diamond in Round Rock in the first neutral site meeting between the two teams since head coach Ty Harrington took over the program in 2012. Baylor, No. 25 in the latest Baseball America poll, defeated Texas State 5-0 to remain unbeaten this season.
Baylor (5-0) struck in the top of the first inning with an RBI double for the game's first run, but Texas State starter Mitchell Pitts was able to work out of a one-out, bases-loaded jam with back-to-back strikeouts to keep the Bobcats' deficit at just one.
Pitts found his groove midway through the first as he went on to retire 11 straight batters – seven by way of strikeout – between the middle of the first inning and the fourth inning to keep just one run on the board for the Bears.
Meanwhile, Texas State put runners into scoring position in the second, third and fourth innings but could not get the hit to bring home a run.
Baylor scored four runs in the fifth to chase Pitts from the contest after pulling in front to a 5-0 lead, but sophomore Hunter Lemke came in to record the final out of the inning and leave the Bears with the bases loaded.
Junior Louis Head came on to start the sixth inning for Texas State and struck out two over 2 1/3 scoreless innings in his Texas State debut before Covey Morrow and Dylan Adamek combined to keep the Bears off the scoreboard for the remainder of the game.
Texas State's lone run of the game came in the eighth inning when Casey Kalenkosky doubled into the right field corner to bring home Morgan Mickan all the way from first base.
Pitts took the loss in his 2012 debut after allowing five earned runs over 4 2/3 innings. The senior struck out seven and walked three in falling to 0-1.
Jeff McVaney reached base two times for the Bobcats as part of 1-for-3 day at the plate, while Tyler Sibley and Nick Smesler accounted for the other Texas State hits.
Texas State will return to the field on Friday when the Bobcats head to Houston for a three-game series against the Cougars. First pitch of the series opener is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Friday.
