SAN MARCOS, Texas – Texas State matched the team's highest offensive output from 2015 with 22 runs in Saturday's game against Incarnate Word. Every spot in the lineup registered at least one hit in the game as the Bobcats stacked up 22 hits to beat UIW, 22-5, and improve to 7-4 on the season.

 

Series Information
Game 1	TXST-4, UIW-0	Recap

Freshman Jonathan Ortega continues to put together a stellar freshman campaign with a 3-for-4, four-RBI day, scoring once and walking once. He wasn't the only one to pull four RBIs though as Cory Geisler and Jaylen Hubbard each tallied four RBIs while Derek Scheible knocked in three RBIs with a three-run homer. Another standout for Texas State was Tanner Hill, who improved his season batting average to .302 with a 4-for-5 day at the plate, scoring a career-high five runs. After Hill's four hits, Ortega, Theodore Hoffman and Hubbard each contributed three apiece while Geisler struck two hits. In all, of the 14 Bobcats who swung a bat Saturday, 13 of them crossed home plate at least once.
 The Bobcat offense was able to get hot pretty quick with four runs in the first and nine combined runs in the first three innings. In the sixth, seventh and eighth innings, Texas State combined for 13 more runs with the only scoreless innings being the fourth and fifth.
 
Saturday starter Jeremy Hallonquist helped the Bobcats get a strong start defensively with no runs or walks allowed through the first three innings. Unfortunately, a come-backer caught him right on the wrist to end his day. On the play, he still had the presence of mind to get the ball to first base for the final out of the top of the third inning. After Hallonquist, Justin Dellinger, Brayden Theriot, Braden Pearson and Quinn Atwood closed out the game, combining for three strikeouts and just one walk. Theriot, the freshman picked up the first win of his career.
 
Other firsts happened for the Bobcats with Jacob Almendarez and Felipe Rodriguez notching their first career hits and Scheible sending out his first home of the season.
 
Granger Studdard made a great defensive play to keep the game scoreless in the top of the first. Incarnate Word knocked a base hit to left field with runners at first and second base, and Studdard threw the ball on a frozen rope to Hill, covering home plate, for the final out of the top of the inning.
 
The Bobcats were able to take that defensive momentum to the bottom of the inning to score four runs in their first at-bat. Texas State's upperclassmen came up big in the inning with a two-out walk from Studdard to keep the Bobcats alive and RBIs from Hill, Geisler and Cody Lovejoy.
 
Studdard and Ryan Newman drew back-to-back walks with two outs to set up Hill for the first RBI of the game. He sent a base hit through the right side to plate Studdard. Geisler followed with a single up the middle to plate both Newman and Hill for a quick 3-0 Bobcat lead, and Lovejoy kept it going. He knocked a double down the third-base line to bring in Geisler and put Texas State up, 4-0.
 
In the top of the second, Hubbard closed the UIW at-bat out with a 5-4-3 double play. Like Studdard, he was able to take that momentum to the bottom of the inning, leading off with a double down the third-base line. Next, Ortega sent a hit through the right side to put runners at the corners. Hubbard would score on a groundout for a 5-0 Texas State lead.
 
Hill kept his strong day going with a leadoff hit through the left side to start the third inning. Lovejoy followed with a walk and Hoffman loaded the bases with a base hit. Next, Hubbard brought in Hill on a fielder's choice to put the Bobcats up, 6-0. After that, Ortega blasted a triple to right centerfield for two more runs. It was the first of two triples on the day for Ortega. Last season, the Bobcat leaders in triples had two for the year. Luke Sherley kept the scoring going with a base hit to left field to bring in Ortega and claim a 9-0 lead.
 
In the top of the fourth, Incarnate Word was able to bring a run in after a leadoff double and a single to left field. The Cardinals were able to add another in the sixth inning. With one out, UIW drew a walk and hit back-to-back singles to load the bases. An error allowed one run in, but Theriot struck out the next batter and forced a fly out after that to limit the damage and preserve a 9-2 Texas State lead.
 
Texas State answered in the bottom of the sixth inning. Studdard started the Bobcats with a leadoff single to left field. Newman followed with a walk and Hill knocked his third hit of the day after that. With bases loaded and facing a new pitcher, Geisler sent a double to left centerfield to plate two runners. Hubbard brought in another run with his second hit of the day, a single to right field. After that, Ortega kept the runs coming in with a big triple to left centerfield for two more runs and a 14-2 Bobcat lead.
 
The Bobcats would score eight more runs combined in the seventh and eighth innings, three coming in on Scheible's homer. Incarnate Word would add two runs in a last effort in the top of the ninth, but Texas State would hold on to the team's commanding lead for the win.
 
The Cardinals and Texas State play the series finale at 1 p.m. Sunday with Jonathan Hennigan on the mound for the Bobcats.




Head Coach Ty Harrington Talks about His Team's Performance




Senior Tanner Hill Discusses His 4-for-5 Day




Freshman Jonathan Ortega Reflects on His Four-RBI Day






 

My boy don't know how to clean the kitchen but he can ball!!!!!! #Roommate https://t.co/6ecfbXSdDZ — Tyler Watts (@ThatWatts_Guy1) March 6, 2016	Final: @TxStateBaseball 22, Incarnate Word 5. The Bobcats finish their three game series tomorrow at 1 p.m. at the Bobcat Ballpark. #TXST — Star Sports (@UStar_Sports) March 6, 2016
@TxStateBaseball Go Bobcats! Looking good on this beautiful TX Saturday! pic.twitter.com/iHukzQUxGV — tandy ellen (@tandyegg) March 5, 2016	Beautiful day for some @TxStateBaseball — Braden Byrd (@FlipEmThe_Byrd) March 5, 2016