TXST rekindles UT rivalry

Bobcats head to Austin to take on Texas at 6:30 pm April 11 on Longhorn Network

Senior pitcher Joe Powell throws a pitch against Little Rock this past weekend. (Photo by LR Athletics)

Baseball | 4/10/2017 3:36:00 PM

SAN MARCOS, Texas – The Texas State baseball team will head to Austin to take on Texas at 6:30 p.m. April 11. The two teams will meet for the second time this season, and the Bobcats are 1-0 after toppling the Longhorns 11-10 in 10 innings on March 21 in San Marcos. That victory marked the first triumph for TXST ever at home. UT and Texas State are also set to meet in Austin on April 18.

The Bobcats (20-13) have been struggling as of late, posting a 4-5 record in their last nine games and losing each of their last two weekend Sun Belt Conference series. Texas State is 5-4 on the road in 2017

The Longhorns (22-13) are riding high coming off a huge series victory over then-No. 9 Oklahoma. They also picked up a midweek victory over Sam Houston State. UT is 18-7 at home this season.

Series Info: Texas State at Texas
Site: UFCU Disch-Falk Field – Austin, Texas
Date: Tuesday, April 11
Time: 6:30 pm
TV: ESPN3/Longhorn Network
Radio: KTSW 89.9 FM
All-Time Record: Texas leads 44-11

PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUP
Tuesday: #32 RHP Cam Baird (1-2, 4.21 ERA) vs. #32 LHP Nick Kennedy (4-0, 2.63 ERA)

BOBCATS WRAP UP HISTORY-MAKING MONTH
Texas State finished the month of March with a 14-4 record. The .778 win percentage was the highest of any March in school history. The Bobcats also tied the school record for most wins in the month of March. The 1992 squad went 14-7 in March. During the 31-day span, TXST rattled off 13 wins in 15 games and took down three of the last 13 national champions (Rice, Texas, Coastal Carolina). The series win over the Chanticleers was noteworthy because the reigning NCAA champs are 6-0 in league play since falling to the maroon and gold.

TEXAS STATE HELPS RAISE COLON CANCER AWARENESS
The Texas State and Texas A&M baseball programs wore blue laces in their matchup March 28 at Bobcat Ballpark to help raise awareness for colon cancer and to help benefit Kiel Colon Cancer. The mission of the organization is to decrease the number of preventable deaths caused by colon cancer through education and awareness initiative, encouraging healthy lifestyle choices and supporting colon cancer research. The founder of the organization, George Kiel III, is a Texas State graduate and played on the men's basketball team. For more information, visit kielcoloncancer.org.

BOBCATS GO4THEGOAL BY LACING UP FOR PEDIATRIC CANCER AWARENESS
Texas State softball and baseball supported the Go4theGoal organization by participating in Lace Up 4 Pediatric Cancer games on April 5. Both games were played in San Marcos with softball defeating Texas and baseball defeating UTRGV. Both programs wore gold shoe laces in support of the initiative. Fans are encouraged to continue donating to Go4theGoal. The organization's mission is helping improve the lives of children battling cancer by providing financial support, developing and implementing unique hospital programs, funding innovative research and granting personal wishes. For more information, visit GO4THEGOAL.ORG.

'CATS SHATTER ATTENDANCE MARK, TOPPLE UT 11-10 IN EXTRAS
Texas State defeated Texas 11-10 in 10 innings on March 11 inside Bobcat Ballpark. The win was the first all-time for the Bobcats at home against UT, and it also set a new all-time attendance mark of 3,017 fans. After battling back to tie the game on four different occasions, the Bobcats were finally able to take their first lead in dramatic fashion in the bottom of the 10th. The game-winning hit came off the bat of Luke Sherley, who's single to shallow right center drove in sophomore Ryan Newman and set the record crowd into a frenzy. This was the fourth walkoff hit of the season for TXST (Purdue, Feb. 18 / Richmond, March 5 / Coastal Carolina, March 17). Sherley went 4-for-5 to tie for a career-high in hits. He recorded hits in the eighth, ninth and 10th innings. He also drove in a career-high four runs and scored in both the eighth and ninth frames. Jaylen Hubbard registered a career-high in hits (4-for-5), and Jacob Almendarez went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored. Theodore Hoffman went 2-for-6 with two runs scored, and Newman scored three times. Blake Walden (5-0) earned the win on the mound and is now tied for the nation's lead in that category. He threw the final 2.2 frames and gave up just one run on two hits, while striking out two. Junior Cam Baird started the contest and logged the first 4.0 frames. He conceded three runs (two earned) on five hits, while striking out three. Senior Brandon Courville, sophomore Anthony Pagano and true freshmen Zachary Leigh and Shane Daughety also saw time on the mound.

BOBCATS VANQUISH REIGNING NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
Texas State won two out of three games against Coastal Carolina to open Sun Belt Conference action March 17-19. The Chanticleers were ranked No. 20 in the nation at the time and are the reigning NCAA champions. The Bobcats won the first game 5-4 in 14 innings thanks in large part to a walkoff home run from sophomore Ryan Newman. CCU was narrowly able to even the series with a 4-3 victory March 18, but Texas State used a five-run seventh inning in the series finale to win 10-7 and snatch the series from the visitors. Newman and junior Luke Sherley both had six hits against Coastal Carolina, and they combined to score seven times. Junior Blake Walden threw 3.0 innings of relief to earn the victory on the mound in the opener, and sophomore Brayden Theriot tossed the final 3.2 frames to collect the win in the finale. The two relievers combined to allow no runs on two hits, while striking out three each. This was the first time Texas State ever hosted the defending national champions.

TXST ENDS DROUGHT AGAINST RICE
Texas State defeated Rice 13-4 on March 15 at Bobcat Ballpark. The Bobcats picked up their first midweek victory of the season and also snapped an eight-game losing streak to the Owls that dated back to the 2012 season. Texas State plated solo tallies in each of the first two innings, and the visitors tied the game at 2-2 with runs of their own in the top of the third and fourth frames. The maroon and gold busted the game open with a seven-spot in the home half of the fourth and added another four runs the rest of the way to secure the nine-run triumph. The runs in the fourth inning were the most scored in a single frame this season. TXST outhit Rice 14-9 and also did not commit an error in the field. Sophomore Jacob Almendarez led the Bobcats at the plate with a 3-for-5 effort. He scored once and tied his career high with two runs driven in. Juniors Luke Sherley and Derek Scheible, along with sophomores Ryan Newman and Jaylen Hubbard all had two hits. Junior Cam Baird earned the starting nod on the mound and left after allowing just two runs on five hits in 3.2 frames. He struck out four and walked two. True freshman Broc Bosse (1-0) earned the first win of his career after sitting down both batters he faced in relief.

TXST SITS DOWN NATIONALLY-RANKED FOE
Texas State earned a hard-fought 12-11 upset victory over No. 22 Oklahoma State on Feb. 25 at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium. The Bobcats never trailed in the game but had to fend off three separate Cowboy comebacks. Junior Blake Walden (2-0) earned the win on the mound after throwing the final 1.2 innings. He allowed one run on two hits. Sophomore Wes Engle took the ball first and left after 4.0 frames. He struck out five, walked four and gave up three runs on two hits. Senior Joe Powell, junior Braden Pearson, sophomore Brandon Lewis and true freshman Zachary Leigh all logged time on the mound between Engle and Walden. Junior Derek Scheible went 4-for-5 at the plate and tied the school record by scoring five times. He also registered a career-high four runs batted in to go along with a career high in hits. Junior Dylan Paul went 3-for-5 with three RBI and one run scored, and sophomore Jonathan Ortega finished 3-for-6 with an RBI. Sophomore Jacob Almendarez went 2-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored. Overall, Texas State outhit Oklahoma State 17-11.

-TxStateBobcats.com-

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

#4 Jacob Almendarez: IF / OF; 5' 8"; Sophomore; R/R

#18 Wes Engle: LHP / IF; 6' 4"; Sophomore; L/L

#3 Theodore Hoffman: OF; 6' 0"; Junior; R/R

#19 Jaylen Hubbard: IF; 5' 10"; Sophomore; R/R

#13 Brandon Lewis: LHP; 5' 11"; Sophomore; L/L

#24 Ryan Newman: IF; 6' 0"; Sophomore; L/R

#6 Jonathan Ortega: IF; 5' 8"; Sophomore; R/R

#11 Anthony Pagano: LHP / IF; 6' 0"; Sophomore; L/L

#15 Dylan Paul: IF / OF; 6' 0"; Junior; R/R

#1 Braden Pearson: LHP; 6' 3"; Junior; R/L

Players Mentioned

#4 Jacob Almendarez
: 5' 8"; Sophomore; R/R
: IF / OF

#18 Wes Engle
: 6' 4"; Sophomore; L/L
: LHP / IF

#3 Theodore Hoffman
: 6' 0"; Junior; R/R
: OF

#19 Jaylen Hubbard
: 5' 10"; Sophomore; R/R
: IF

#13 Brandon Lewis
: 5' 11"; Sophomore; L/L
: LHP

#24 Ryan Newman
: 6' 0"; Sophomore; L/R
: IF

#6 Jonathan Ortega
: 5' 8"; Sophomore; R/R
: IF

#11 Anthony Pagano
: 6' 0"; Sophomore; L/L
: LHP / IF

#15 Dylan Paul
: 6' 0"; Junior; R/R
: IF / OF

#1 Braden Pearson
: 6' 3"; Junior; R/L
: LHP