SAN MARCOS, Texas – Texas State scored four runs in the sixth inning, and that proved to be all the Bobcats needed to take the first victory in the three-game series against Appalachian State on Friday. The Bobcats used big hits from
Granger Studdard and
Theodore Hoffman to win, 4-2, and improve to 13-5 overall and 4-0 in Sun Belt Conference action.
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Trailing, 2-0, Texas State came alive with four sixth-inning hits after only striking one hit to that point in the game.
Jonathan Ortega drew a walk to put the first man on base, and
Cory Geisler followed with an infield single. With two men on, Studdard drilled a base hit through the left side that got past Appalachian State left fielder Tyler Stroup on an error. Both base runners came in on the play to tie the game while Studdard held up at third base.
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Two batters later, Hoffman kept it going with a doubles to left field to plate Studdard, the go-ahead run. With Hoffman at second,
Luke Sherley got in on the action with a single up the middle to bring in Hoffman and give the Bobcats some breathing room.
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In the seventh inning,
Lucas Humpal forced a groundout and a fly out while also tallying his fourth strikeout of the day, leaving the game with the win intact. It was the 234
th strikeout of his career to pull him into second place all-time in strikeouts in the Bobcat record books. He is just eight more strikeouts away from breaking the Bobcat record.
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After Humpal,
Chase Hodson took over for the eighth and ninth innings. He was untouchable. He tallied three strikeouts while forcing a fly out, a groundout and a lineout for the other three outs he needed to pick up his first save of the season.
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Outside of the fourth inning,
Jared Huber and
Nick Perez also struck hits for the Bobcats while Ortega, Studdard, Sherley and
Cody Lovejoy all drew walks in the game.
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Appalachian State was able to score two runs in the second inning, taking advantage of a walk, a double and a wild pitch. But it would not be enough after the Bobcats took over in the sixth.
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The Bobcats will continue the series against Appalachian State with
Jeremy Hallonquist on the mound for a 3 p.m. first pitch on Saturday and finish up with an 11 a.m. game on Sunday.
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