Box Score

AUSTIN, Texas – Texas State returned from a road trip against Sacramento State to a tough game against Texas in Austin, falling, 12-5, Tuesday night. The Longhorns put up season highs in runs (12) and hits (16) as they improved to 18-13 while the Bobcats dropped to 12-20.
 
Texas State was efficient, scoring five runs on seven hits with three walks and just three strikeouts. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough for the Bobcats. Morgan Mickan, Garrett Mattlage and Andrew Stumph combined for six of the seven hits with two each. J.D. Stinnett knocked the seventh hit, an infield single.
 
However, the Longhorns were simply on their game at the plate. Leading hitter Mark Payton was a perfect 4-for-4 to finish the season at 7-for-8 against the Bobcats while both Weston Hall and C.J. Hinojosa tallied three hits apiece.
 
Texas State put up the first run of the game when Andrew Stumph struck for a two-out RBI single through the left side. With two outs, Texas pitcher Josh Urban hit Garrett Mattlage and walked Cody Lovejoy to put Mattlage in scoring position for Stumph.
 
The Longhorns reciprocated with a two-out RBI of their own. Leading Texas hitter Mark Payton knocked a first pitch double off the right field wall to score Erich Weiss, who walked after two outs. With the game tied, the next hitter, C.J. Hinojosa sent a single through the right side to bring in Payton for the 2-1 Texas lead.
 
Texas added another run when Ty Marlow knocked a solo home run over the left field fence for his first career hit with Texas. Later, with two outs and a man on second, Weston Hall brought the runner in with a single to shallow centerfield for a 4-1 Texas lead.
 
In the top of the third, Morgan Mickan led off with a single to right field and Mattlage followed with a walk. A wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position. A Lovejoy groundout brought in Mickan to pull the Bobcats within 4-2. Texas answered with another two-out run to push the lead back to a three-run advantage, 5-2. In the fourth inning, the Longhorns produced a big inning, scoring four runs, to increase the lead to 9-2.
 
The Bobcats weren't done as they were able to answer the big Texas inning with a run of their own. Mickan went to first on the Longhorns' fourth hit by pitch of the night and he took second on a passed ball. Mattlage sent a screamer down the right line to plate Mickan. Unfortunately for Texas State, Longhorn second baseman Brooks Marlow made an unassisted double play to end the inning. He caught a liner and beat Mattlage back to second base.
 
Texas added a run in the bottom of the inning to make it 10-3, and then both teams went scoreless in the sixth. Colby Targun did his part to hold Texas without a run in the inning with a diving stop on a fast moving grounder down the left line.
 
The Bobcats put a run on the board in the top of the eight, but it didn't deter Texas. The Longhorns added two more runs in the eighth to put the game out of reach on their way to season highs in hits (16) and runs (12). One Texas State run in the ninth wasn't enough to erase the deficit.
 
Texas State returns to conference play this weekend when the Bobcats host Louisiana Tech in games on Friday at 6:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at noon.