Box Score

SAN MARCOS, Texas – Texas State used an outstanding six-run sixth inning to give the Bobcat seniors a victory on senior day in their regular season finale at Bobcat Ballpark. Colby Targun was 2-for-3 with three RBI, three runs and a homer while senior Kevin Sah also knocked three RBI to help clinch the series against Dallas Baptist with a 12-8 win. The victory also clinched the third seed in the Western Athletic Conference Tournament to be played Wednesday through Sunday in Grand Prairie.
 
The game was back and forth with Dallas Baptist scoring the opening two runs, but the teams combined for six lead changes or ties the rest of the way. The final lead change came in the bottom of the sixth when Texas State, trailing 8-6, exploded for six runs and never looked back.
 
Austin O'Neal doubled down the left line and moved to third on senior Nick Smelser's single. Senior counterpart Morgan Mickan walked next, then Sah followed with his 12^th double of the season to tie the game, scoring O'Neal and Smelser. Targun knocked his second and third RBI of the game with a single up the middle to put the Bobcats up 10-8. Texas State wouldn't finish there as Brooks Orton doubled to right center after a DBU pitching change for two more runs to push the Bobcat lead to 12-8.
 
Kyle Finnegan, who picked up the win for the Bobcats in relief of senior Mitchell Pitts in his 66^th career appearance, combined with Austen Williams to shut down the Patriots the rest of the way. In the seventh, Finnegan walked the leadoff hitter, but struck out two and forced a line out to right field. He finished the day allowing just two hits, a run and a walk with four strikeouts in 12 batters faced in three innings.
 
Williams was more than impressive in his two innings of work, only allowing one hit and walking one while striking out three of seven batters faced. In the eighth, he also walked the leadoff batter, but induced a double play on the next at bat and another groundout after that. He was red hot in the ninth, striking out the first two batters on six pitches, one of which was Duncan McAlpine, who had two home runs in the game. After a single, Williams struck out Mike Wesolowski for the final out of the game.
 
O'Neal was 2-for-4 with two RBI, a walk and a run while Orton was a perfect 2-for-2 with his two RBI in the sixth inning. Smelser was 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI while senior Andrew Stumph also notched an RBI.
 
After DBU scored two in the first, the Bobcats answered behind a rocket down the left line from O'Neal. Stumph put up the first TXST run with an RBI to score Targun after he walked and a Garrett Mattlage single moved him to third. After a Cody Lovejoy walk, O'Neal sent his shot along the third base line to put the Bobcats up, 3-2.
 
The Patriots countered with two runs in the second, but Texas State tied the game on Targun's third home run of the season. After Pitts and the defense made short work of DBU in the fourth, Smelser plated Tyler Pearson with a double to left center after Pearson single through the right side. Sah picked up an RBI on a sacrifice fly, scoring Smelser and giving Texas State a 6-4 lead.
 
Dallas Baptist would score four combined runs in the fifth and sixth innings, but Texas State's six-run inning in the sixth proved to be too much to overcome.
 
As the third seed, Texas State will play its first WAC Tournament game at 11 a.m. Thursday against the sixth seed at QuikTrip Park in Grand Prairie. Many of the seeds are still to be determined in the tournament so continue to check www.txstatebobcats.com for updates throughout the week. Also, click here for WAC Tournament Central and here for basic information on the tournament such as tickets, parking, etc.