Box Score

SAN MARCOS – Texas State used impressive defense throughout the game behind Taylor Black on the mound and late runs in the eighth to seal the team's second victory against Troy, 5-2. Hunter Lemke picked up his 10^th save of the season to break yet another record for the senior. He passed up Jeff McVaney for most saves in a season at Texas State.
 
Black finished with four strikeouts and just two walks in 29 batters faced. He gave up six hits in seven innings. Lemke finished the final two innings and struck out three en route to his record-breaking save.
 
The Bobcat defense was strong all day. Both Trey Hicks and Garrett Mattlage made five assists each in the field while Cody Perkins added three.
 
At the plate, Granger Studdard and Cory Geisler led the bobcats with two hits each. Mattlage scored two runs with an RBI while Studdard and Austin O'Neal also knocked in RBI.
 
Hicks started the second inning with a set of diving defensive plays. Both plays were identical as he dove to his right to stop the ball from getting up the line. He was able to pop up and make the throw to first in time for the first two outs of the inning. A fly out to Geisler in centerfield ended the top of the inning.
 
In the bottom of the third inning, the Bobcats scored their first run thanks to Geisler. Colby Targun earned a leadoff walk and moved to second on a groundout. With two outs, Geisler knocked a single through the left side to plate Targun and grab a 1-0 lead.
 
Troy answered in the top of the fourth inning with a two-out solo home run from Jo-El Bennett. Bennett had a 3-for-4 day in Friday's game with a triple and stayed hot into Saturday to tie the game, 1-1. Nick Masonia kept the pressure on for Troy with a double to deep centerfield. Trevin Hall followed with a single up the middle to plate Masonia and pull the Trojans ahead, 2-1.
 
Texas State came back in the bottom of the fourth. The first two batters, Ben McElroy and Mattlage, both earned walks, and Studdard knocked a single through the right side to load the bases with no outs. McElroy was able to score on a passed ball, and O'Neal brought in Mattlage with a sacrifice fly to right field to take a 3-2 Texas State lead to the fifth. The Bobcats never looked back.
 
In the top of the fifth, Troy was looking to tie the game and had moved leadoff man Clay Holcomb all the way to third base on two steals. But with two outs Mattlage made a stop and got it to O'Neal who made a great scoop to keep Troy without a run in the inning.
 
Black kept getting better throughout the game, striking out all three batters in the seventh inning.
 
The Bobcats got into a little bit of trouble in the top of the eighth with two runners on base, but Lemke came in to keep Troy without a run in the inning. Lemke caught the leadoff runner at third base on an attempted sacrifice bunt. A fly out after that put runners at the corners. Next, Perkins was able to throw to first base in time on a slow-rolling grounder for the third out.
 
In the bottom of the eighth, the Bobcats looked for some insurance. Geisler ran out an infield single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Then Mattlage brought Geisler home with a single through the right side to push the lead to 4-2. Mattlage advanced to second on a fielding error by the right fielder on the play, and scored from second on the next at bat when Studdard knocked one up the middle to take a 5-2 lead to the ninth.
 
Lemke shut the Trojans down in the final inning, striking three batters out to secure the win. If the Bobcats finish off the sweep on Sunday, Texas State will clinch a berth in the Sun Belt Conference Championship Tournament. Lucas Humpal will lead the Bobcats on the mound for Sunday's game at 1 p.m.