ISLA VISTA, Calif. – The Texas State baseball team won a weekend series and upped its unbeaten streak to seven games against UC Santa Barbara in a doubleheader Sunday at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium.
 
The Bobcats (9-4-1) won the first game of the day 6-5 over the Gauchos (4-9-1) and followed with a 4-4 tie in the series finale. Both games were slated for seven innings after Saturday's contest was postponed due to rain. The finale went into the eighth frame, but neither team was able to earn the walkoff victory. The game was then halted due to travel constraints for TXST.
 
Senior Derek Scheible hit two home runs in the morning contest, and junior Jaylen Hubbard went 4-for-8 on the day to lead the maroon and gold. The opening victory gave coach Ty Harrington the 600th of his career.
 
Texas State is slated to return home for a 6 p.m. bout March 13 against rival UTSA.
 
TEXAS STATE 6, UC SANTA BARBARA 5 (7 innings)
The Bobcats picked up the first game of the day and earned the series victory thanks in large part to Scheible's two home runs. His solo blast in the top of the first kickstarted a three-run frame that got the visitors off to an early lead.
 
UCSB went ahead 4-3 on the strength of a three-run third, but Texas State plated an additional three markers in the top of the fifth to take the lead for good. Scheible led off the frame with a home run that easily cleared the wall in center field. The last time TXST had an individual hit two home runs in the same game was Granger Studdard on April 9, 2016 (Nevada).
 
Hubbard went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, junior Ryan Newman finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs and senior Luke Sherley was 1-for-2 with two RBIs and one run scored.
 
Junior Connor Reich (3-0) earned the victory on the mound after conceding four runs (three earned) on six hits in 4.0 innings. Junior Brayden Theriot tossed the final 3.0 frames to collect his third save of the season. The right-handed closer gave up one run on three hits, while striking out one and issuing no walks.
 
UC Santa Barbara starting pitcher Ben Brecht lasted just one inning. He exited after allowing three runs on four hits. Alex Patterson gave up just one run on three hits across the next 3.0 frames, and Chris Lincoln (0-1) was saddled with the loss after giving up two runs on three hits in 1.0 inning. Stevie Ledesma tossed the final 2.0 frames and did not allow a run on one hit, while striking out four and walking one.
 
Clay Fisher led the Gauchos with a 2-for-4, 1-RBI, 1-run effort. Marcos Castanon also tallied two hits, and Armani Smith had a pair of RBIs.
 
TEXAS STATE 4, UC SANTA BARBARA 4 (8 innings)
The two teams played to a 4-4 standstill after eight innings. UCSB took early 1-0 and 3-1 advantages after the opening pair of frames, but the Bobcats scored three times in the third to move ahead 4-3. The home side pushed one across in the fourth and the two side went scoreless the rest of the way.
 
True freshman John Wuthrich had a season-best three hits and drove home the final two runs of the day for Texas State. Junior Jonathan Ortega finished 2-for-4 and scored once.
 
Sophomore Zachary Leigh made his first weekend start on the mound and gave up four runs on six hits in 4.0 innings. Senior Cam Baird teamed with juniors Kyle Bradford and Seth Jordan to throw 4.0 scoreless innings of relief. They only conceded two hits, while striking out one and walking two.
 
Fisher had another two hits for the home side. Sam Cohen and Jason Willow both went 2-for-4 with a run scored, and both Andrew Martinez and Tommy Jew finished with two RBIs.
 
UCSB starter Chris Clements conceded all four runs on six hits across the opening 2.2 innings. Luke Andrews and Chris Troye posted 5.1 scoreless frames. They combined to concede just two hits, while striking out seven and walking two.
 
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