LAKE CHARLES, La. – The Texas State baseball team (5-2) concluded its time at the Lake Area Classic with a 5-3 win over McNeese (3-4) in 11 innings at Jim Miller Ballpark. The Bobcats pounded out seven doubles to tie the program record set in 1997 and matched in 2012.
 
Brent Hebert (1-0) earned the win after throwing 2.2 shutout innings while allowing just three hits. Taking the loss was Aidan Anderson (1-1) after giving up two runs on five hits and four walks.
 
Finishing with two hits apiece for TXST was Cole Coffey, Will Hollis, Jaxon Williams and John Wuthirch. All the hits for Coffey and Wuthrich were doubles. Jaylen Hubbard and Wuthrich both scored twice while Wuthirch and Skyler Valentine finished with two RBIs apiece.
 
On the mound, Connor Reich went seven innings with six strikeouts and did not walk anyone for the second straight game. He did surrender two runs on nine hits. Kyle Bradford went 1.1 innings of relief and Anthony Pagano pitched to one batter.
 
Wuthrich led off the second inning with a double to left field as the outfield missed the ball on a diving attempt. Two pitches later, Hollis sent an offering off the right field wall to plate a run to give TXST an early advantage.
 
McNeese answered back to tie the game 1-1 in the bottom of the frame when Carson Maxwell hit a home run that just cleared the right field fence.
 
In the third, Coffey laced a double to right field and Hubbard followed by drawing a walk. Wuthirch then sent a 1-0 offering to right for his second double of the game and bring home both runners to go ahead 3-1.
 
The Cowboys strung together three singles in the bottom of the third with Maxwell's shot back up the middle bringing home a run to cut the lead to one. Reich escaped the frame without more damage when Clayton Rasbeary was thrown out trying to steal third and then inducing Julian Gonzales into a ground out to Jaxon Williams at shortstop.
 
A single by Williams with one out was followed by a Coffey double in the ninth. Jaylen Hubbard was then intentionally walked to load the bases with one out. However, the Cowboys were able to get the next two batter out without giving up a run.
 
In the bottom of half of the frame, McNeese got two walks with one out. Reid Bourque followed with a RBI single that landed just in fair territory down the left field line to tie the game.
 
The Cowboys were able to get a runner to second with no outs in the 10th. He broke early trying to steal third and was caught in a pickle that ended with Williams tagging him out between the two bases. Hebert was able to induce a pop up and ground ball to end the frame and send the game to another inning.
 
Hubbard laced a single on the first pitch he saw in the 11th with two outs. The senior advanced to second when a pickoff attempt got away from the first baseman. After Wuthrich was intentionally walked, Valentine bashed a double to left center to bring home both runners and put the Bobcats up 5-3.
 
Maxwell led off the bottom of the frame for McNeese with a double down the left field line. Hebert got the next three batter to pop up, however the third got lost in the sun and wasn't able to be caught to put runners on the corners. A walk then loaded the bases for Nate Fisbeck, who hit a long fly ball down the right field line. Valentine made a diving catch in the short corner to end the game.
 
Next up for TXST is a meeting with Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Bobcat Ballpark.
 
For all things Texas State baseball, be sure to follow the team on Instagram and Twitter.