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San Marcos, Texas – There was no shortage of offense on Friday night at Bobcat Ballpark as Texas State defeated Lamar 10-6 in the series opener. The Bobcats and Cardinals combined for six home runs and 29 hits on the night as Texas State improved to 17-3 at home this season.
Texas State jumped in front 1-0 after one inning on an RBI double from Andrew Stumph that brought home Jeff McVaney. McVaney hit a two-out double to right field before Lamar intentionally walked Casey Kalenkosky to get to Stumph, who went the other way for his 10th double of the year to give the Bobcats an advantage.
After Lamar took a 2-1 lead in the top of the third inning, the Bobcats used the long ball to retake the lead in the bottom half of the inning. Kalenkosky worked a full count before going to the opposite field for a two-run homer that put the team back in front 3-2. Stumph came up next and made it back-to-back home runs for the Bobcats when he drove a pitch over the wall in left-center field for a 4-2 score. Kalenkosky's shot was his team-leading eighth of the season, while Stumph's was his third.
A pair of Lamar home runs in the top of the fifth inning tied the game up at 4-4, but Texas State had another answer in the bottom of the frame as the Bobcats used six singles and a triple to plate a six runs to a give the home team a 10-4 lead. Ten batters came to the plate during the inning that featured a two-RBI triple from freshman Brooks Orton, the first of his career.
Lamar added another run in the top of the sixth inning that chased starting pitcher Travis Ballew from the game, but Ross Goebel came in to minimize the damage and keep the Bobcats in front 10-5.
Lamar leadoff hitter Jude Vidrine hit his third home run of the game in the top of the eighth inning to make the score 10-6 in favor of the Bobcats, but Louis Head came in relief of Goebel to get the team out of the inning with a four-run lead before pitching a scoreless ninth to secure the win.
Ballew (9-3) earned his team-leading ninth win of the season after pitching five innings and striking out five batters. The junior allowed five runs but did not walk a batter in his 12th start of the season.
Head earned his second save of the season after pitching 1 1/3 innings of scoreless baseball to close out the game.
Lamar starter Jonathan Dziedzic (4-3) was charged with the loss after allowing 10 runs in 4 2/3 innings on the mound.
The Bobcats improved to 25-17 overall and 14-11 in the SLC, while Lamar dropped to 18-25 and 10-15 in conference play.
Stumph led Texas State with a 3 for 4 day at the plate that included a home run, two runs scored and two RBIs. McVaney finished 2 for 4 with two runs scored and an RBI, while Kalenkosky was 1 for 3 with a home run and three RBIs.
Texas State and Lamar will face off on Saturday at 2 p.m. in game two of the three-game series. The Bobcats will send junior LHP Colton Turner (4-2, 2.14 ERA) to the mound for his 11th start of the season.
