SAN MARCOS, Texas – The Texas State baseball team fell 9-3 to Purdue in the 2017 season opener at Bobcat Ballpark.
 
The Bobcats dropped to 0-1 on the year in front of a crowd of 2,068, which was the second-largest Opening Day crowd in stadium history.
 
Purdue (1-0) plated three runs in the top of the first and never looked back. The Boilermakers added four more in the fourth to expand to a 7-0 margin, and they were able to fend off a late TXST comeback attempt.
 
Junior Travon Benton started his Texas State career off with a bang, as the transfer went 2-for-4 and hit a solo homer in the fourth frame. Juniors Theodore Hoffman, Dylan Paul and Derek Scheible also registered hits for the home team.
 
Sophomore Connor Reich (0-1) earned the Opening Day start and allowed eight runs (six earned) on eight hits in 3.2 innings pitched. True freshman Zachary Leigh threw the next 3.1 frames and gave up just one unearned run on three hits. True freshman Broc Bosse tossed the final 2.0 innings and only allowed one hit.
 
Jacson McGowan went 3-for-5 with four RBI and one run scored for the Boilermakers. Alec Olund and Skyler Hunter also added two hits each. Mike Madej and Nick Dalesandro both scored twice.
 
Tanner Andrews tossed the first 7.0 innings and gave up one run on two hits. Adam Dressler, Nick Wojtysiak and Mike Kornacker combined to throw the final two frames.
 
Purdue outhit Texas State 12-5 and the clubs combined for five errors in the first game of the season.
 
The two teams are set to continue their series with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. Feb. 18.

It's not too late to get season tickets to watch every home game. For tickets, click here, call the ticket office at 512.245.2272, email tickets@txstate.edu or visit the Mark & Linda Smith Athletic Ticket Office on the northeast side of Bobcat Stadium.
 
-TxStateBobcats.com-