Box Score SAN MARCOS – Texas State used a four-run seventh inning to jump into the lead, 6-3, and never gave it up the rest of the way, going on to beat Troy, 7-3, in the opening game of the series Friday night. The win propels the Bobcats to 25-21 on the season and 13-9 in the Sun Belt Conference.
Garrett Mattlage knocked a solo home run to tie the game in the fourth after Troy scored in the third. The Trojans went up, 3-1, in the top of the seventh, but Texas State came alive with four runs in the bottom of the inning.
The Bobcats took advantage of a defensive blunder by Troy. After
Austin O'Neal knocked a single,
Tyler Pearson put the ball in play with a planned sacrifice bunt, but Troy pitcher Shane McCain committed a two-base error to push
Matt Sanchez, pinch running for O'Neal, and Pearson to second and third. Then
Trey Hicks put the ball in play to plate Sanchez and tie the game, 3-3.
Next,
Cody Perkins earned a walk to load the bases for pinch hitter
Ben McElroy. McElroy came through with a base knock to centerfield to score two more runners. That brought up
Cory Geisler, the leadoff batter, and he laid down a sacrifice bunt to bring in Perkins and give the Bobcats a 6-3 lead. Troy wouldn't recover from the blow.
Mattlage and McElroy led the Bobcats in RBI with two each on the night while O'Neal led the team in hits with two. Geisler,
Trey Hicks and
Cody Perkins all knocked in one RBI each while Pearson took advantage of two walks to score two runs.
On the mound,
Austen Williams struck out seven batters and walked just two. He gave up six hits in 7.2 innings while
Dylan Bein earned a save in 1.1 innings pitched, only giving up one hit. The save marks the first of his young career.
The Bobcats started the first two innings strong defensively, highlighted by a beautiful play from Mattlage for the final out of the top of the second. He ranged over far to his left behind second base for the scoop and made the throw in time.
In the top of the third, Jo-El Bennett got Troy started with a leadoff triple. Matthew Howard followed with a double down the right line to put the Trojans up 1-0. After that, the Bobcats went back to their defensive ways and forced a 1-2-3 fourth inning for Troy.
Mattlage carried that defensive momentum to the offensive side with a solo home run to tie the game, 1-1, in the bottom of the fourth. It was his fourth home run of the season. After that, each team stuck to the impressive defense. Both teams had one run on only three hits through five innings.
Cody Lovejoy made an impressive catch on a foul ball in the top of the sixth inning. As he darted to his left in right field, he made a falling catch over the visiting bullpen mound for the second out of the inning. He followed it with a pop fly catch to finish the top of the inning.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Bobcats were able to manufacture a run without a hit. Geisler took first after a hit by pitch and stole second. The opportunistic base runner went to third on a groundout, and then scored on a Mattlage sacrifice fly for Mattlage's second RBI of the night and a 2-0 Texas State lead.
Two Trojans got on base with a walk and a hit by pitch in the top of the seventh, but the Bobcats also got two outs. With two on and two gone, Troy pinch hit Ali Knowles, who came through with a full count double down the left line to plate both base runners and put the Trojans up, 3-2. After that, Troy suffered the offensive onslaught from Texas State in the bottom of the inning.
The Bobcats kept the pressure on in the eighth. Pearson earned a leadoff walk and Hicks sacrifice bunted him to second. Perkins brought in Pearson in the next at bat with a single to shallow right field to push the Texas State lead to 7-3. That would be all the Bobcats needed as Bein came in to shut Troy down the rest of the way.
Texas State and Troy will meet up again Saturday for a televised game at 3 p.m. Fans can watch the Bobcats on ESPN3 nationally, KBVO locally or CST across the southeast.
Taylor Black and Tanner Hicks will be on the mound for Texas State and Troy.
