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San Marcos, Texas – Texas State baseball has a new career hits king as senior Tyler Sibley set the program record on Saturday afternoon at Bobcat Ballpark as part of a 2-1 victory over Central Arkansas. The second baseman led off the game with a double to set the record and later added a single to bring his career total to 261 hits.
Sibley surpassed the mark set a season ago by Bret Atwood who finished his Texas State career with 259.
The record comes one day after Sibley set a new Bobcat career record for doubles. He now has six Texas State career records to his credit, including at-bats, hits, runs scored, total bases, doubles and stolen bases. The senior is also within striking distance of the team's triples, walks and games played records.
“It means a lot,” Sibley said. “It was nice getting it out of the way in the first inning and keeping that momentum going from last night. That moment is something I'll remember for a long time.”
Sibley led off the bottom of the first inning with a double down the left field line and went to third on a single from Garrett Mattlage. Jeff McVaney came up next and lined out to the center fielder, but it was deep enough to bring home Sibley for a 1-0 Texas State lead.
The Bobcats tacked on a run in the third inning as Sibley scored his second run of the game and McVaney knocked in his second run for a 2-0 score. The run would prove to be the game-winner and the final of the day for Texas State.
Central Arkansas scored its lone run of the game in the fifth inning, but starter Colton Turner and the bullpen held the Bears scoreless the rest of the way.
Turner (4-2) won for the fourth time this season after limiting the Bears to one run over his seven innings on the mound. The junior struck out a pair and lowered his season ERA to 1.75.
Central Arkansas put its first two batters on base in the eighth inning, and head coach Ty Harrington turned to junior Ross Goebel for the second straight night to get out of the jam. And for the second straight night, Goebel did just that. After the Bears sacrificed the runners up a base to second and third, Goebel induced a grounder that turned into a double play after third baseman Nick Smelser and catcher Andrew Stumph combined to tag out both base runners in a rundown for an inning-ending double-play.
Louis Head came in to pitch the ninth inning and allowed one hit before getting out of the frame with a double play that secured the team's 22nd win of the season. Head earned his first save with the Bobcats while the team improved to 22-16 overall and evened its record at 10-10 in the Southland Conference.
Central Arkansas (16-19, 10-10 SLC) starting pitcher Caleb McClanahan (3-3) went the distance for the Bears and was charged the loss after allowing a pair of runs on four hits.
The two teams will meet for the series finale on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. at Bobcat Ballpark. Sophomore Kyle Finnegan (4-3, 3.00 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Bobcats.
