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Houston, Texas – Senior Casey Kalenkosky homered for the second straight game and the Texas State pitching staff limited Houston to just one run as the Bobcats avenged a loss on Friday night with a 6-1 victory over Houston on Saturday afternoon at Cougar Field.
Texas State shook off its brief two-game losing skid on Saturday and evened its record at 3-3 on the season while handing UH (4-2) just its second loss of the season.
Kalenkosky's home run was his third of the season and 24th in his career, putting him in fifth place in career home runs at Texas State. Fellow seniors Tyler Sibley (3 for 4) and Jeff McVaney (2 for 5) along with junior Andrew Stumph (2 for 4) added multiple-hit games for the Bobcats who delivered 11 hits on the afternoon.
Texas State starter Travis Ballew (2-0) earned his second win of the season after limiting the Cougars to one unearned run over 5 1/3 innings on the mound. He struck out four batters and lowered his season ERA to 2.38.
Hunter Lemke came on to pitch 2 2/3 scoreless innings before Dylan Adamek finished the final inning on the mound for Texas State.
Houston starting pitcher Jordan Lewis (1-1) was dealt his first loss of the season.
Just like on Friday, Kalenkosky started off the scoring in the fourth inning with a home run, but this time the Bobcat bats backed up the first baseman. Following the towering solo homer to left field to start the inning, McVaney and Nick Smesler hit back-to-back doubles to put Texas State in front 2-0. Andrew Stumph then roped the third double of the inning down the left field line to bring home Smelser for a 3-0 Texas State lead.
The Cougars came back in the bottom of the frame with an unearned run after a couple of infield singles and an error aided the home team in getting on the scoreboard, cutting their deficit to 3-1.
Ballew was able to work out of trouble in the fifth inning without allowing a run, but after Houston put a pair on with one out in the sixth, head coach Ty Harrington went to the bullpen to get out of the jam. Lemke entered the game and got an out without ever throwing a pitch by picking off the runner on second before inducing a lazy fly ball to center field for the final out of the inning.
Texas State would increase its lead in the top of the seventh inning. Morgan Mickan led off the frame with a walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Sibley. Pinch hitter Cody Gambill then delivered a single through the right side of the Houston infield to plate Mickan for a 4-1 Bobcat lead. After Gambill swiped second base, McVaney crushed a pitch over the head of the left fielder for an RBI double that put the Bobcats ahead 5-1.
Cody Perkins delivered his first hit and RBI of the season in the top of the ninth inning to add an insurance run by bringing home McVaney from third base and round out the scoring for the game.
The Bobcats and Cougars will play the rubber match of this weekend's three-game series on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Cougar Field. Texas State will send sophomore righty Kyle Finnegan to the mound for his second start this season.
