TROY, Ala. – Texas State's
Cory Geisler and
Lucas Humpal put on impressive, gutsy performances from the mound in a doubleheader against UL Lafayette Saturday. The defense sprinkled in some outstanding plays throughout the day, and the Bobcats were one swing of the bat from tying the second game in the ninth inning with bases loaded. Unfortunately, it was not enough to fight off elimination from the Sun Belt Conference Championship Tournament as the UL Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns beat the Bobcats, 3-0 and 6-2, to advance to the SBC Tournament Championship.
Geisler went a career-high 6.1 innings in the first game of the day, striking out three batters. The Bobcats started without a designated hitter as Geisler hit as well for Texas State. He would play the entirety of both games either from the mound, as a designated hitter or in the outfield.
After the Bobcats lost the first game, 3-0, Texas State called on Humpal to pitch in the second game of the day. Despite pitching on short rest, Humpal threw 126 pitches in 7.1 innings of work, striking out four. He kept UL Lafayette at bay for most of the game.
Freshman
Derek Scheible stepped up for the Bobcats, going 3-for-6 on the final day of the season. He hit one of Texas State's three doubles on the day. Another freshman who came up big at the plate was
Theodore Hoffman, striking for a big double late in the game to extend Texas State's scoring opportunity. Unfortunately, though, the Bobcats could not get enough timely hits to outscore UL Lafayette.
Texas State and UL Lafayette played an unexpected pitcher's duel in the first game of the day. Two of the most powerful offensive teams in the conference finished with just 10 hits between the both of them. Scheible finished the game with two hits and the only extra-base hit for Texas State. The only other two hits for Texas State in the first game came from Geisler and
Ben McElroy. McElroy finished with a hit and two walks to lead the Bobcat offense.
Geisler, pulling double duty as both a hitter and pitcher, teamed up with the Bobcat defense to retire nine consecutive batters to start the game. In relief, freshman
Tyler Giovanoni was also strong. He struck out two, walked none and only gave up one hit in 2.2 innings of work to keep the Bobcats within striking distance.
Despite the strong pitching, the Ragin' Cajuns were first to score in Saturday's first game. After Texas State retired the first nine batters, a leadoff single from SBC Player of the Year Blake Trahan broke it up. A sacrifice bunt moved him to second and ULL put another batter on base with a hit by pitch. A double to right field from Tyler Girouard scored the first run of the game, and UL Lafayette was able to push the lead to 2-0 with a sacrifice fly.
Three innings later, UL Lafayette was able to extend the lead to 3-0. Greg Davis came out on top of a nine-pitch at bat, fouling three times before knocking a base hit through the left side. After a walk to put the second base runner of the inning on base, Trahan singled to right field to plate another ULL run. That would be the final run scored in the first game of the day to force the if necessary game.
Wyatt Marks and Dylan Moore, both freshmen pitchers for UL Lafayette, had strong games from the mound. Marks only gave up four hits with eight strikeouts and three walks in seven innings. Moore finished the game with two innings pitched, no hits, no walks and two strikeouts.
The Ragin' Cajuns kept hold of the momentum with two early runs in the second game of the day, scoring in the top of the first. There was only one hit in the inning for UL Lafayette as the team benefitted from two Texas State errors, a bases-loaded walk and a fielder's choice to score the first two runs of the game.
In the third inning, ULL's Stefan Trosclair worked hard to put the Ragin' Cajuns up, 3-0. He singled, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a UL Lafayette groundout. With his run scored, the Ragin' Cajuns matched the game one score, 3-0.
After going 13 scoreless innings Saturday, the Bobcat bats came alive in the fifth inning of the second game. Scheible started it off for Texas State with a hit by pitch. Then, he took off all the way to third base on a hit-and-run and
Luke Sherley came through with a base hit to right field. With runners at the corners, Geisler knocked a single to left field. While he was thrown out trying to stretch the hit into a double, he plated Scheible for Texas State's first run of the day.
Cedric Vallieres kept the maroon and gold momentum rolling with a well-placed double down the left field line. That hit scored Sherley to pull the Bobcats within one run, 3-2, after five innings.
The Ragin' Cajuns were able to extend the lead to 5-2 in the eighth inning after two scoreless innings in the sixth and seventh. A Tyler Girouard single followed by a walk for UL Lafayette put two runners on base, and Nick Thurman brought them both home with a double to right centerfield. UL Lafayette was able to add a run in the ninth before the game.
The Bobcats, fighting for their postseason lives, were able to load the bases and bring the tying run to the plate in the ninth inning with two outs. A groundout, though, ended the opportunity and Texas State's 2015 season.
Texas State finishes the year at 24-32-1.
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