SAN MARCOS, Texas – Texas State had to fight through an impressive freshman pitcher for Washington State and the Cougars' best offensive outing of the young season, but fight the Bobcats did on their way to a 7-6 victory Sunday.
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Getting contributions from every part of the lineup, Texas State proved to have enough in the bats in an important sixth inning to score the needed runs paired with impressive defense to stay undefeated and improve to 3-0.
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The Bobcats had answered Washington State's threats with a three-run sixth inning, and went to the ninth with a two-run lead, 7-5. After two walks and a bunt single, Texas State was facing loaded bases with no outs when
Jaylen Hubbard,
Jonathan Ortega and
Tanner Hill teamed up for a big double play to limit the Cougars to just one run.
Pasquale Mazzoccoli, on the way to his first save of the season, forced a line out to Hill in the next at-bat to clinch the game for Texas State.
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The Texas State offense tallied eight hits on the day, one more than Washington State. Freshman
Nick Perez led the squad, going 2-for-4 with the tying RBI in the sixth inning while
Theodore Hoffman finished with a hit, an RBI and two runs scored.
Granger Studdard was efficient (1-for-2 with two walks and a run) while
Cody Lovejoy,
Ryan Newman,
Luke Sherley and Hubbard all went 1-for-3.
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In addition to Mazzoccoli's big save on the mound, the Bobcats also saw impressive innings from
Chase Hodson. He finished with four strikeouts, two walks and just one hit in 2.2 innings.
Jonathan Hennigan tallied four strikeouts as well.
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For the first time in the series, Washington State scored first with a two-run homer in the second inning after Studdard robbed the Cougars of a run in the first inning with a running catch at the left field wall.
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Facing a 2-0 deficit, Texas State was able to answer in the bottom of the third. Sherley worked the count for a leadoff walk, and Hubbard followed with a well-placed double to the right field corner. With runners at second and third, Ortega plated Sherley on a groundout for the first Bobcat run of the day. The next batter, Lovejoy, tied the game, 2-2, with a sacrifice fly to score Hubbard.
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In the top of the fourth, Hoffman brought the offensive momentum to the defensive side with an outstanding diving catch in right field for the first out. In the bottom of the inning, Hoffman kept it rolling with a score to put the Bobcats ahead, 3-2. He reached on an error and stole second. A groundout pushed him to third base before Sherley brought him in with a base knock to right field to put the Bobcats up.
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Washington State was able to respond and take the lead with a two-run homer and an RBI single in the top of the fifth for a 5-3 Cougar lead, but the Bobcats would pull ahead for good in the sixth inning.
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Studdard led off with a single to centerfield and went all the way to third on the next play when Hill ran out a WSU error. With runners at the corners, Hoffman pulled the Bobcats to within one run when he knocked a double to right centerfield to bring in Studdard. Perez tied it up with a base hit through the right side to score Hill, and Newman put the Bobcats up with an RBI single to right field to plate Hoffman.
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Texas State scored another run in the seventh inning. Lovejoy led off with a single and went to second on a Studdard walk. Hill pushed him to third base on a ground out, and Lovejoy scored on a balk. The error for Washington State proved to be huge as Hubbard's double ninth-inning double play limited the Cougars to just one run despite having bases loaded with no outs.
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The Bobcats and Washington State will meet for the series finale at 5 p.m. Monday with
Justin Dellinger on the mound for Texas State and freshman righty Ryan Ward for the Cougars. After that, the Bobcats will travel to Houston to face Rice at 6 p.m. Wednesday.
Head Coach Ty Harrington Postgame ReactionSenior Pitcher Pasquale Mazzoccoli Postgame ReactionFreshman Nick Perez Postgame Reaction
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