CONWAY, S.C. – The No. 30-ranked Texas State baseball team lost a doubleheader to No. 27 Coastal Carolina Saturday afternoon at Springs Brooks Stadium.
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The Bobcats dropped to 14-8-1 on the year and 3-3 in the Sun Belt Conference, while the Chanticleers improved to 19-7 overall and 6-0 in the league.
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Junior
Jonathan Ortega led TXST with three hits total on the day, while seniors
Dylan Paul and
Derek Scheible hit safely in both games.
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Texas State returns home for a 6 p.m. contest March 27 against Texas. The game has been sold out, but standing room only tickets are still available. Call 512-245-2272 for more information.
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COASTAL CAROLINA 11, TEXAS STATE 3
The Bobcats found themselves with a 2-1 advantage through four innings of play, but the Chanticleers erupted for 10 runs across the next three frames to seize control of the game.
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Paul scored two of Texas State's three runs and hit his second home run of the season in the seventh inning. Junior
Jaylen Hubbard also scored, and classmate
Jacob Almendarez finished with a hit and an RBI.
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Sophomore
Zachary Leigh (1-1) took the loss after conceding six runs on seven hits across 4.2 frames. He struck out five and walked four. Sophomore
Broc Bosse gave up five runs on five hits in 2.0 innings, while striking out four and walking two. Junior
Brandon Lewis tossed a clean final 1.1 frames.
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Cory Wood, Parker Chavers, Turner Buis and Michael Koenig all had two hits for CCU. Wood scored three times, and both Koenig and Seth Lancaster touched home twice. Lee Sponseller led the way with four RBIs, and Kevin Woodall, Jr. finished with a trio of teammates driven in.
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Anthony Veneziano (2-0) hit a career-high five batters but was able to escape with the win after conceding two runs on two hits through the minimum 5.0 innings. He struck out five and walked two. Patrick Orlando and Zach McCambley combined to give up just one run through the final 4.0 frames.
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COASTAL CAROLINA 7, TEXAS STATE 3
The maroon and gold again found itself with an early advantage, but a four-spot in the third inning swung momentum back to the Chanticleers.
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Texas State got within 4-3 with two runs in the fifth, but Coastal Carolina countered with two of its own in the bottom of the fifth that was joined by a solo tally in the sixth to complete the scoring.
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The Bobcats outhit CCU 9-6 and was led by a 3-for-5 effort from Ortega.
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Sophomore
Nicholas Fraze (4-2) allowed four runs (two earned) on two hits in the first 2.1 innings. Junior
Brayden Theriot conceded three runs (two earned) on three hits in the next 3.0 frames, and junior
Braden Pearson and senior
Cam Baird combined to give up no runs and just one hit in the last 2.2 innings.
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Kieton Rivers finished 2-for-4 and was the lone Chanticleer with multiple hits. Lancaster, Sponseller and Chavers all scored twice.
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Zack Hopeck (2-2) reached the minimum 5.0 innings to pick up the win. He gave up three runs on seven hits, while striking out six and walking two.
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-- TXSTATEBOBCATS.COM --
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