Box Score

SAN MARCOS, Texas – Texas State was firmly in control of Friday night's game against Northern Kentucky until the ninth inning. The Norse put up six runs in the top of the final inning to stun the Bobcats, 6-5, and drop the team to 2-7 on the season.
 
Northern Kentucky more than doubled the team's hit total in the ninth, striking for six hits. The Norse had only tallied four hits in the first eight innings.
 
The two teams played scoreless baseball for seven innings, but the Bobcats scored five runs in the third and the Norse put up their six in the last inning.
 
For Texas State, Morgan Mickan and Austin O'Neal led the way offensively as both went 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored while Mickan added an RBI. Catcher Tyler Pearson was 2-for-4 with two RBI while designated hitter Andrew Stumph picked up the other RBI for the Bobcats.
 
Colby Targun, who went 1-for-3 with a run scored, started Texas State's big third inning with a leadoff single to shallow centerfield. After moving to second on a fielder's choice, he scored on a big Mickan double to right center to break the tie.
 
Stumph kept the momentum rolling with a single through the left side to score Mickan. Brooks Orton reached base next on an error by left fielder Ryan Lefevers. Norse pitcher Blake Bagshaw walked O'Neal to load the bases, then walked Nick Smelser to bring in Stumph for a 3-0 Texas State lead.
 
With the bases loaded again, Pearson pushed the lead to five runs with a rocket double down the left line to score Orton and O'Neal before the Norse finally ended the inning.
 
Kyle Finnegan went six innings, allowing three hits and four walks but striking out six batters. Texas State went to Lucas Humpal and Hunter Lemke in relief for the seventh and eighth innings. The duo combined for just one hit and one walk but four strikeouts, including three from Lemke. Humpal also dodged trouble with a man on third, saving his strikeout for a timely moment.
 
The timeliness wouldn't hold for Texas State though as the Norse put up six hits against three different Bobcat pitchers in the ninth.
 
Northern Kentucky's ninth-inning leadoff hitter, Cody Kuzniczci doubled to left field and went to third on a wild pitch. He scored when the next Norse hitter singled through the right side. Two more Northern Kentucky hitters singled before Texas State could register the first out of the inning, coming on a fielder's choice that was close to a double play.
 
After a walk, NKU first baseman Brad Clement tallied two RBI on a single to left centerfield to make it a one-run game, 5-4. Brandon Wood, a pinch hitter, was the next Norse hitter to single and notch an RBI, plating Ryan Hinz to tie the game.
 
Northern Kentucky scored the go ahead run on a tight play at first, but the throw from third pulled O'Neal off the bag for Texas State's only error of the game and an unearned NKU run.
 
Texas State grounded out twice and flied out in the bottom of ninth to drop the opening game of the series. The Bobcats will get a chance to rebound at 4 p.m. Saturday at Bobcat Ballpark.