Box Score

SAN MARCOS – Texas State's Lucas Humpal and the Bobcat defense dominated UC Riverside for a 2-0 victory Friday night to improve to 3-2 on the season. Humpal struck out a career high 13 batters for the most strikeouts by a Texas State pitcher since Carson Smith on May 6, 2011. Humpal's 13 strikeouts are the most by any Sun Belt Conference pitcher in an outing this season.
 
Texas State's defense gave him plenty of support as the Bobcats only gave up four hits in the shutout. Humpal walked two in his first complete game of his career.
 
The UC Riverside offense came into the game averaging 8.25 runs and 13.5 hits per game, but the Highlanders had no answer for Humpal as he became the third weekend starter for the Bobcats to achieve a career high in strikeouts this season. Taylor Black and Austen Williams both tallied eight strikeouts last weekend for career highs. Humpal started fast, fanning three in the first and seven through four innings. In the top of the seventh inning, he struck out his 10^th batter to give him the most strikeouts in an outing by any Sun Belt pitcher.
 
For run support, Cody Lovejoy knocked a double down the left line to score Colby Targun in the third, and Tyler Pearson gave Texas State a little breathing room with his second home run of the season in the seventh. His solo shot made it 2-0 for the Bobcats and they would not need anymore.
 
Lovejoy, Garrett Mattlage, Tanner Hill, Pearson and Targun all notched a hit for the Bobcats. With both teams only having a hit apiece after two innings, Targun added one for the Bobcats with a leadoff single into right field. Taylor Bailey sacrifice bunted him to second and Targun took third on a passed ball. After that, Lovejoy brought Targun in with a shot down the left line for the early 1-0 lead.
 
Both defenses continued to shine for three more scoreless innings until Pearson sent an 0-1 pitch for a ride. There was no doubt right off the bat. With his second home run of the year, he doubled his home run total from 2013, giving him three so far in his Texas State career.
 
The Highlanders' best opportunity came in the sixth inning when Matthew Ellis, the nine-hole hitter, led off with a single up the middle. Centerfielder Devyn Bolasky earned a walk to put runners at first and second, but the next UCR batter sent a high fly ball to Matt Sanchez in left centerfield.
 
In the ninth, UC Riverside pinch hitter Mark Contreras was able to knock a two-out single, but Humpal induced a soft grounder from designated hitter Drake Zarate. Humpal fielded it and sent it over to Hill at first for the final out of the game and one of the best pitching performances ever at Bobcat Ballpark.
 
Texas State will look to keep it up at 3 p.m. Saturday against UC Riverside and then again at 1 p.m. Sunday.