SAN MARCOS, Texas – Scott Grist had a long day Saturday. He had an early morning "T" Ring Ceremony for Texas State student-athlete graduates, then walked the stage for graduation. But once he stepped onto the field at Bobcat Ballpark, he made it a long day for the UT Arlington Mavericks. Grist pitched a complete-game five-hitter to lead the Bobcats past UTA, 4-1, to even the series and pull Texas State closer to clinching a berth in the Sun Belt Conference Championship Tournament.
 With the win, the Bobcats improve to 21-30-1 overall and 13-16 in the Sun Belt Conference. Texas State clinches a spot in the SBC Championship Tournament with a win on Saturday or a loss by the UL Monroe Warhawks to UL Lafayette in either one of the games in their doubleheader on Saturday. The Bobcats will also get in if UALR beats Arkansas State on Saturday.
 
In addition to Grist's solid work on the mound, another senior came through for Texas State. In a 1-1 tied baseball game, Ben McElroy knocked a three-run homer high over the Bobcat scoreboard to put the Bobcats up, 4-1, the eventual final score. Both seniors will be honored with four others during Texas State's senior day recognition before Saturday's game.
 
The Mavericks were able to jump on the scoreboard first with an opening-inning run. They knocked two hits and moved the runners with two groundouts to go ahead, 1-0, early. After that, Grist kept the Mavericks off balance, not allowing a run and only giving up three hits the rest of the game. He struck out four batters and walked one on 108 pitches to give Texas State a chance.
 
UT Arlington would cling to the 1-0 lead until the Bobcats tied the game in the fifth. Colby Targun knocked a double down the first base line and went to third on a Zach Sullivan single. After that, Luke Sherley brought Targun home with a sacrifice bunt to tie the game in the fifth. An inning later, the Bobcats would go ahead on McElroy's home run, his fourth of the year..
 
Granger Studdard hit a one-out double to deep right centerfield to get the offense started in the inning. Tanner Hill followed with a single to push Studdard to third. Next, Hill stole second base to put both runners in scoring position. It didn't matter though, as McElroy sent the ball for a trip to the Texas State Football parking lot to plate all three runs and put the Bobcats up, 4-1, in the sixth inning.

McElroy, Cedric Vallieres, Studdard, Hill and Targun all struck a hit in the game while Sullivan led the offense with two hits on a 2-for-3 night. McElroy's three RBI paced the Bobcats while Sherley added one on his sacrifice bunt.
 
Saturday, the Bobcats will recognize their six seniors: Grist, McElroy, Cedric Vallieres, David Paiz, Colby Targun and Blake Whitter before the 1 p.m. first pitch in the rubber match between Texas State and UT Arlington.