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San Marcos, Texas – Senior Jeff McVaney broke a 3-3 tie in the bottom of the ninth inning with a walkoff single that brought home pinch runner Cody Lovejoy for the game winning run on Saturday evening at Bobcat Ballpark in San Marcos. Texas State increased its winning streak against UTSA to 10 games dating back to 2009 with the win.
Ben McElroy singled to begin the bottom of the ninth before Lovejoy came in to run for him. A sacrifice bunt from Tyler Sibley moved Lovejoy into scoring position and two batters later, McVaney roped a 3-1 pitch down the left field line for the game winning RBI.
“I was trying to be patient,” McVaney said. “It was a hitter's count so I was sitting on a fastball. I really wanted to get a hit after not having the best game before that.”
The hit was the only of the day for McVaney who went 1 for 4 with a pair of RBIs and a run scored.
“The win keeps us moving in the right direction,” said head coach Ty Harrington. “We still have the opportunity to do big things this year.”
Texas State improved to 29-19 overall and 17-12 in the SLC with the win, while UTSA dropped to 20-29 overall and 9-19 in the conference. The Bobcats sit in third place in the conference standings behind Sam Houston State and Southeastern Louisiana.
Casey Kalenkosky gave the Bobcats a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when he went the opposite way for a single that brought home McVaney from second base for the first run of the game. McVaney walked and stole second base earlier in the inning.
Later in the first, Kalenkosky advanced to third on a single from Colby Targun before coming home on a UTSA wild pitch for a 2-0 score.
UTSA came back with a run in the second and an unearned run in the third to tie the game after three frames.
McVaney then put the Bobcats in front once again in the fifth inning when his RBI fielder's choice with the bases loaded plated Garrett Mattlage, who began the inning with a walk, for a 3-2 Bobcat lead.
The Bobcats would lead until the top of the eighth inning when UTSA plated a run to tie the game again. The Roadrunners loaded the bases with one out, but Louis Head was able to limit the damage to one run as the score went to 3-3 after eight innings.
Head (2-1) then pitched a scoreless ninth inning to earn the win following McVaney's game-winning RBI hit.
Colton Turner started the game for Texas State and finished with a no decision after pitching 7 1/3 innings and striking out seven batters. He limited UTSA to just two runs (one earned) on seven hits for the game.
“Colton was great today,” Harrington said. “He pitched well enough to win.”
UTSA reliever Logan Onda (0-3) was charged with the loss after allowing one run over his three innings on the mound.
Texas State and UTSA will meet for the series finale at 1 p.m. on Sunday at Bobcat Ballpark. Sunday will be Senior Day for the Bobcats, who will honor the team's eight seniors prior to the game.
