Box Score

HOUSTON, Texas – Texas State scored two runs in the opening inning and held on to that 2-0 lead until the eighth. Rice tied it, but the Bobcats limited the Owls to ensure extra innings. Then, in the 11^th, Tanner Hill came through with a two-out RBI single to regain the lead for Texas State, but Rice answered in the bottom of the inning to give coaching legend Wayne Graham his 1,000^th career victory, 4-3.
 
The game saw eight pitchers, five from the Bobcats. Freshman Tyler Davenport got the starting nod and pitched six innings of effective baseball, only allowing three hits, walking one and not giving up a single run. Texas State pitched Cory Geisler, Ross Goebel, Hunter Lemke and freshman Dylan Bein in relief. Bein almost came out of it with a win over a ranked team, notching two strikeouts. .
 
Cody Lovejoy, David Paiz and Tanner Hill led the Bobcats at the plate with two hits each. Colby Targun added his first hit of the season to give Texas State seven hits in the game.
 
The Bobcats were able to get a jump early against Rice thanks to infield errors by the Owls. Matt Sanchez and Garrett Mattlage both reached on walks and Paiz loaded the bases as Rice second baseman Ford Stainback committed the first error of the game.
 
Tyler Pearson was able to put the ball in play next, and, as he hustled to first base, Rice first baseman Skyler Ewing tried to turn a double play but put the ball in the outfield to help Texas State score its first two runs claiming an early 2-0 lead.
 
Both teams continued strong defensive play throughout the first four innings with both teams only striking two hits in the first four frames. Freshman Granger Studdard made a pair of outstanding defensive plays to keep Rice scoreless in the fourth inning.
 
The freshman, playing left field, ranged far over to his right to catch a foul ball for the second out of the inning, then followed that with an amazing diving catch running up from deep left to finish the inning.
 
Texas State's defense continued to support Davenport through six innings before the freshman took a seat for Cory Geisler and his second appearance of the season in the seventh inning. Geisler obliged with a strong seventh, but Texas State would ultimately give the eighth inning to Hunter Lemke.
 
Lemke took over the eighth with runners at first and second and no outs, nursing a 2-0 lead. Ewing was able to knock a base hit to score one batter and cut the lead in half. After that, Lemke was faced runners at the corners and induced a slow roller to Tanner Hill. Hill made a heads up play to go to Pearson at home to catch the leadoff runner and hold onto a 2-1 lead.
                                                                                               
Unfortunately, after that catcher John Clay Reeves was able to sneak a single through the left side to score Ewing from second and tie the game. The Bobcats were able to throw out a Rice baserunner on the play and Lemke forced a groundout after that to finish the eighth. In a tough situation, Lemke survived to give the Bobcats a chance. Neither run was charged to him.
 
Both teams were quiet in the ninth and 10^th. Big reasons why were pitchers Jon Duplantier and Zech Lemond of Rice along with Lemke and Bein. Duplantier, a freshman, pitched four innings with six strikeouts and just two hits. All-American Lemond struck out five but gave up the run on Hill's hit, one of two hits he allowed.
 
In the top of the 11^th, Paiz knocked a single. Cody Perkins, pinch running for Paiz, was able to steal second and came home on Hill's single to left field. Leon Byrd started Rice's opportunity with a walk. He went all the way to third on a hit from Charlie Warren, but Targun made an outstanding play to throw Warren out at second.
 
Keenan Cook followed with a double to score Byrd and Williams knocked his second consecutive hit to finish the game.
 
Texas State will return home to friendly confines at Bobcat Ballpark to host UC Riverside at 6:30 p.m. Friday, 3 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.