San Marcos, Texas – Texas State will host Prairie View A&M in the midweek at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, looking to get to .500 as the Bobcats currently stand at 23-24 on the season. The game is a rescheduled game that was rained out earlier this season. Junior pitcher Scott Grist will lead the Bobcats against the Panthers.
 
Texas State has won 30 consecutive games against Prairie View A&M and is 37-1 against the Panthers all-time. The Bobcats haven't lost in the series since April 16, 1986.
 
Wednesday, it'll be Grist against another righty, Edward Robledo. Robledo is a freshman who is 3-2 on the season with a 5.11 earned run average and just eight strikeouts. Grist stands at 4-2 with a 4.70 ERA and 39 strikeouts to his name.
 
Texas State is coming off two big victories at UTSA, winning Saturday's game in the 11^th inning as Hunter Lemke simply dominated the back end of the game from the mound, then taking off on Sunday for a 12-3 victory. With the two wins against UTSA, the Bobcats stayed just one game out of first place in the Western Athletic Conference and pulled into a tie for second place against UT Arlington which helps this weekend's series shape up to be a pivotal one.
 
Prairie View A&M has won three in a row coming into Wednesday's game, all over Arkansas-Pine Bluff to pull into second place in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. The Panthers have won four of their last five and will play the Bobcats just before their regular season finale against Arkansas-Pine Bluff to get ready for the SWAC Tournament.
 
Fans will be able to follow along with all of the action live on video at www.txstatebobcats.com/showcase or through live audio at www.txstatebobcats.com/radio or 89.9 KTSW. As always, fans can also follow online through live stats here and frequent updates provided throughout the game on the baseball Twitter account - @TxStateBaseball.
 
Game Info
Texas State (23-24, 13-8 WAC) vs. Prairie View A&M (23-22, 12-10 SWAC)

Site: Bobcat Ballpark – San Marcos, Texas
Date: Wednesday, May 8
Time: 6:30 p.m.

Probable Pitching Matchups
#36 RHP Scott Grist (4-2, 4.70 ERA) vs. #6 RHP Edward Robledo (3-2, 5.11 ERA)
 
Live Coverage
Video: www.txstatebobcats.com/showcase
Radio: www.txstatebobcats.com/radio and 89.9 KTSW
Live Stats: www.txstatebobcats.com/live_stats
Twitter: www.twitter.com/txstatebaseball
                          
Complete Game Notes
 
Bobcat Bits
Hot at Home
Texas State has worked to an 18-7 record at home this season while going 5-17 on the road. The disparity is even more pronounced lately as the Bobcats are 13-1 at Bobcat Ballpark in the last 14 home games. Below are some comparisons in statistics at home vs. away. The Bobcats should come out strong at home against Priaire View A&M Wednesday night.
Statistic                                   Home        Away       
Batting Average                            .276            .273 
Slugging Percentage                     .371            .354 
On Base Percentage                      .392            .355 
Fielding Percentage                       .968            .959 
Earned Run Average                      3.17            5.78
 
PLAYING POWERBALL
Texas State struggled to hit home runs early this season, but the Bobcat bats have come alive in the past 14 games. After hitting just four home runs in the first 33 games, Texas State has blasted eight long balls since. Led by Austin O'Neal's first three home runs of his career, Texas State has shown an ability to hit for power. Morgan Mickan and Cody Lovejoy each knocked their first career home runs during the stretch while Andrew Stumph went yard for the first time of 2013 and the 14th time of his career. Mickan added his second home run this past weekend at UTSA and Nick Smelser jumped in the home run derby with the second of his career and first of the season against the Roadrunners. For the season, Texas State is slugging .362, but since the homers have started coming, the Bobcats have put together a slugging percentage of .440 with six Bobcats slugging .481 or higher.
 
GOING STREAKING
Garrett Mattlage is the hottest streaker for the Bobcats with 23 consecutive games in which he's reached base. That is the longest streak on the team this season. Kevin Sah is behind him with a 16-game active streak and Nick Smelser has reached base in 12 consecutive games. The longest current hitting streak belongs to Austin O'Neal at seven consecutive games. Sah and Andrew Stumph own the longest hitting streaks of the year at eight.
 
CLOSING 'EM OUT
Texas State has found two reliable arms to close out games with left-handed Donnie Hart and right-handed Hunter Lemke, both sidearm throwers. Lemke was untouchable in an extra-inning game against UTSA. He retired 10 consecutive batters, seven by strikeout, from the eighth inning to the end of the game in the 11th to propel Texas State to victory, picking up his first victory of the season. He owns a 2.27 earned run average and has been a part of three shutouts. He has eight saves which ties him for second most all-time in a season. Hart owns a 2.05 ERA in 30.2 innings pitched, only giving up 23 hits while striking out 26 batters and walking just 10, holding opponents to a mere .207 batting average. The duo has combined for 62 appearances, and Head Coach Ty Harrington has taken to playing them back to back with Hart taking the first of the last two innings and Lemke shutting it down at the end. Hart has begun to see time as a middle reliever, though, instead of a setup man for the closer. 
 
AUSTIN BURST ONTO THE SCENE
Austin O'Neal was seeing limited time earlier this season, only starting when Texas State faced a left-handed pitcher. Against Louisiana Tech, however, he used the opportunity to burst onto the scene with a 3-for-4 day, adding a three-run homer to stake his claim on a Sunday start. That Sunday, he knocked his second home run en route to a 3-for-5, four-RBI day. Before that weekend, he was batting .229 with 11 hits and six RBI, but since, O'Neal is hitting a team high .419 with 18 hits, seven for extra bases, and a team high 18 RBI. His feats earned him recognition as the Western Athletic Conference's Player of the Week for the week of April 15, his first such award of the season.
 
STUMPH IS BACK
Senior designated hitter Andrew Stumph made his return to the lineup for the Bobcats against Sacramento State, but he didn't show he was all the way back until the midweek game against Texas. He was 2-for-4 with 2 RBI against the Longhorns and followed that with an impressive weekend against Louisiana Tech. He hit his first home run of 2013 against WAC leader CSU Bakersfield. Since getting just one hit in 12 at bats against Sacramento State, Stumph has exploded to go 23-for-60 (.383), and knocked 15 RBI in the past 16 games. For the season, Stumph is averaging .320 (second on the team) with 40 hits and 25 RBI.
 
CLIMBING UP THE RECORD BOOKS
Speaking of Andrew Stumph, he is making his way up the Texas State record books this season. He is fourth all-time in games played (199) and fourth in at bats (721). He is fifth in RBI (132) and sits tied for sixth in hits (208) and eighth in doubles (34). He is ninth in total bases (290).
 
Stumph isn't alone though as other Bobcats march into the record books. Morgan Mickan made his way in recently and now is 15th all-time with 27 stolen bases. Quickly charging behind him is Kevin Sah who is third all-time in steals in a season with 22 so far in 2013.
 
Mitchell Pitts, like Stumph, is all over the record books. He is tied for sixth in appearances (64) and is seventh in innings pitched (225.1) and 13th in strikeouts (164) while Hunter Lemke is tied for fourth all-time in saves with eight, all eight of which came this season, putting him tied for the second most saves in a season with Stephen Smith, and just one save away from Jeff McVaney.