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Thibodaux, La. – In his first start since being named to the national Pitcher of the Year Watch List presented by the College Baseball Hall of Fame, junior right-hander Travis Ballew proved he belongs on that list as he tied his career high with 12 strikeouts as part of a complete-game shutout of Nicholls on Friday night as the Bobcats won 3-0 at Ray E. Didier Field in Thibodaux.

Ballew turned in his second shutout and third complete game of the season while tying his career high with 12 strikeouts. He allowed just six hits (all singles) for the game and did not walk a batter. Ballew lowered his ERA for the season to 1.95 while increasing his season strikeout total to 90 punch outs in just 78 1/3 innings.

Texas State won its fourth straight game in the Southland Conference, improving to 24-16 overall and 12-10 in league play. The win also snapped a six-game losing streak in games away from Bobcat Ballpark for Texas State.

The Bobcat offense gave Ballew a 1-0 lead to work with early in the contest as Brooks Orton singled to center field to bring home Colby Targun for the first run of the game. Targun walked earlier in the inning before stealing his first of two bases on the night.

Targun then gave Texas State a 2-0 advantage in the seventh inning when he hit the first pitch he saw from Nicholls starter Seth Webster for an RBI single that brought home Jeff McVaney for the team's second run of the game.

The Bobcats added an insurance run in the top of the ninth inning when Casey Kalenkosky hit a one-out single before coming home two batters later on an RBI double down the left field line by Andrew Stumph for the 3-0 final score.

Webster dropped to 5-4 on the season while Nicholls fell to one game below .500 at 20-21 overall and 8-14 in the Southland Conference.

Seven different Bobcats had a hit in Friday night's game, including Targun who finished the game 1 for 3 with a walk, run scored, RBI and two stolen bases.