SAN MARCOS, Texas – Texas State started Saturday strong despite unfavorable weather, leading for the first six innings of game one. Unfortunately, Central Michigan made a furious comeback with 14 runs in the last three innings of Saturday's opening game to win game one, 14-6. Then, after seven scoreless innings of game two, the Chippewas scored three runs in the eighth inning and added two more in the 10^th to survive Texas State, 5-3.
 
Pasquale Mazzoccoli and Scott Grist did stellar jobs Saturday. Grist opened the day with 6.1 innings, not allowing an earned run and striking out six batters. Meanwhile, Mazzoccoli, in his second start, went 7.1 innings and only gave up two earned runs, both coming in the eighth inning.
 
A combination of walks, passed balls and wild pitches did Texas State in at the end of game one. In the second game, the Bobcats couldn't get timely hits until the ninth inning. Trailing, 3-0, and with two outs, Texas State came alive in the ninth.
 
Cory Geisler worked the count for a walk and Granger Studdard followed with his second hit of the day. After that, in a pinch hitting role, Colby Targun knocked both runners in with a triple to left center to close the gap to 3-2. Targun scored the next play when Central Michigan committed an error on Theodore Hoffman's at bat. With the game tied, the Bobcats couldn't get the winning run across in the ninth.
 
In the 10^th inning, the Chippewas scored two runs on two errors to go up 5-3, the eventual final score. In game one, the Bobcats were in control through six innings, leading 5-0. In the seventh, Texas State gave four bases on either walks or hit by pitch, and Central Michigan scored four runs on just one hit in the inning. They added five in the eighth and ninth each to win decisively, 14-6.
 
David Paiz came through with three more RBI to add to his team-leading total in the third inning. Jared Huber led off with a walk and Luke Sherley followed with an infield single. After Cody Lovejoy sacrifice bunted both runners over, Geisler worked the count for a walk.
 
With bases loaded for Paiz, the senior came through in a big situation yet again, knocking a double to right centerfield to plate all three base runners and put Texas State up, 3-0, after three innings of play.
 
In the fourth inning, Texas State added another run. Freshman Jaylen Hubbard led off the inning with a single through the left side. Huber used a sacrifice bunt to move him to second and Hubbard went to third on a groundout. After that, Central Michigan committed a throwing error when Lovejoy put the ball in play. Hubbard scored on the play to add another run to Texas State's lead.
 
After a scoreless fifth, the Bobcats added another run in the sixth. Hubbard again led off with a single. After that, he stole second base. He moved to third on a groundout and a Sherley single through the right side brought him in to put Texas State up 5-0 after six innings. From there, Central Michigan did its damage.
 
Matt Sanchez had a good game two, going 2-for-2 with two walks and four putouts in centerfield. Paiz and Hubbard led the team with three hits apiece on the day. Studdard, McElroy and Sherley added two hits apiece in the doubleheader.
 
Texas State and Central Michigan are set for an 11 a.m. first pitch to finish off the weekend Sunday. The Bobcats will be looking to tie the series. Continue to check www.txstatebobcats.com for schedule changes in case of weather.