Box Score

SAN MARCOS, Texas – Texas State bounced back Saturday with a 5-3 victory over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. A number of Bobcats contributed in the win with great defensive plays, efficient hitting and solid pitching. The biggest defensive play of the game came in the eighth inning. The Bobcats were up, 5-3, but the Islanders had bases loaded with just one out. The Texas State infield turned two when they needed it to preserve the lead and improve to 6-13 on the season.
 
Two errors put the Bobcats in trouble in the eighth, but Hunter Lemke forced TAMUCC pinch hitter Brad Lamberti to hit into a double play. Second baseman Colby Targun snatched up the grounder and threw it to shortstop Garrett Mattlage. Mattlage stepped on the bag and rifled it to first baseman Ben McElroy to complete the play and keep the Bobcats in control. Three up and three down in the ninth preserved the win for Texas State.
 
Scott Grist started and went 6.2 innings. He gave up eight hits, two runs and two walks, but struck out three. Grist and the Bobcat defense held TAMUCC without a hit from the middle of the second inning until the sixth, a span of 11 batters.
 
Lucas Humpal and Donnie Hart pitched effectively in relief, although Hart was betrayed by a couple of errors, then Lemke came in for his first save of the season.
 
Austin O'Neal stood out at the plate with a 2-for-2 day with two RBI, one on a sacrifice fly, and a run scored. Morgan Mickan picked up two RBI when he sent one screaming down the left line, and Mattlage notched the fifth RBI. Mattlage and Mickan were both 1-for-2 while Mattlage also walked twice.  
 
After a scoreless opening inning for both teams, the Islanders scored a run in the second, but Texas State answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning. O'Neal singled up the middle followed by third baseman Nick Smelser reaching on an error. Catcher Tyler Pearson followed with an infield single to load the bases. Mickan took advantage with his double down the left line to score both O'Neal and Smelser and claim a Texas State 2-1 lead.
 
In the third inning, the Bobcats added another run. Mattlage walked and used his wheels to score from first on another O'Neal hit. This time O'Neal doubled to deep right field for the RBI and a 3-1 TXST lead.
 
Neither team scored in the fourth, but the Bobcats were back at it in the fifth with two more to push the lead to 5-1. Kevin Sah, the inning's leadoff hitter, went to first when he was hit by a pitch. Next, Cody Lovejoy laid a beautiful bunt down the first base line for a hit. With runners at first and second, Mattlage singled to right centerfield to score Sah. The next Bobcat to come in was Lovejoy on an O'Neal sacrifice fly.
 
The Islanders stopped the string of five unanswered runs by the Bobcats with a run in the top of the seventh. Then TAMUCC made a run at it in the eighth inning. Two singles and two Texas State errors led to one run for the Islanders and the bases loaded with just one out. That's when the Bobcats made their game-saving double play.
 
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi returned the favor with a double play of their own to end the eighth inning after Targun earned a leadoff walk. Lemke and the Texas State defense closed it out in the ninth with three straight outs.
 
Texas State and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi will play the final game of the weekend at 12 p.m. Sunday. Kyle Finnegan and lefty Adam Hoelscher will take the mound.