LAKE CHARLES, La. – In the opening game of the Lake Area Classic, the Texas State baseball team fell behind by five before making a furious comeback over the final four innings. However, the Bluejays came away with a 6-5 victory Friday afternoon at Joe Miller Ballpark.
 
The Bobcats fall to 2-2 on the season while Creighton is now 4-0.
 
Nicholas Fraze tied his career-high with eight strikeouts in 5.2 innings. The junior right-hander did allow six runs on nine hits to take the loss and drop to 1-1 on the year. Picking up the win on the mound was Mitch Ragan (2-0) after going seven innings with six strikeouts and giving up four runs on six hits. Bobby Kametas earned his second save of the season after working a scoreless ninth inning.
 
Creighton struck first their first time at bat when Parker Upton hit a solo home run to left center field. The next inning saw Jordan Hovey hit another solo shot, this time to right field. The Bluejays hit their third consecutive solo homer in as many innings in the third when Garrett Gilbert led off the frame with a blast to dead center field to extend the lead to 3-0.
 
Jake Holton tripled to right center field to start off the bottom of the fourth. After Fraze struck out the next two batters, Jared Wegner singled back up the middle that plated a run. Gilbert followed with another RBI single up the middle to increase Creighton's advantage to 5-0.
 
On the first pitch of the sixth, Jaxon Williams doubled off the left field wall and would advance to third when Cole Coffey flew out to right center field. Jaylen Hubbard sent a deep shot to center that was caught but allowed Williams to trot home and cut the deficit to four.
 
John Wuthrich followed with a double to center field. Ryan Newman laced a double over the leaping second baseman's glove to left center to bring home Wuthrich to make it a 5-2 Bluejay advantage.
 
Creighton would respond with one run in the bottom half of the inning off a single by Gilbert.
 
Skyler Valentine responded as he led off the seventh with a blast over the left field fence for his first home run in a Texas State uniform.
 
Coffey battled and was able to rip a single to center field that just missed hitting the pitcher. After Hubbard followed with a walk, Wuthrich singled through the left side as the ball got under the diving shortstop's glove to bring home a run.
 
Hubbard would then steal third and a wild throw by the catcher allowed him to score to cut the Creighton lead to 6-5.
 
With two outs in the top of the ninth, Coffey laced a single to right field and Travon Benton came on to pinch run for him. Hubbard followed with a rip to left center for another single to put two runners on. After a mound meeting, Wuthrich swung at the first offering from Kametas and sent it down the third base line, but Hovey made a diving catch to end the game.
 
Both Coffey and Wuthrich led TXST with two hits apiece. Hubbard stole his first base of the season and 27th in his career.
 
Friday's action continues for the Bobcats after 5 p.m. when they face McNeese in the second game of the day of the Lake Area Classic.
 
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