SAN MARCOS, Texas – Big innings by Texas A&M-Corpus Christi were costly to the Texas State baseball team Wednesday night at Bobcat Ballpark as the Islander came away with a 12-5 win.
 
The Bobcats drop to 5-3 on the season and saw their three-game winning streak come to an end while the Islanders improve to 6-4 overall.
 
Suffering the loss on the mound was Anthony Pagano (0-1) after surrendering five runs on two hits and three walks in 0.1 inning. Mason Hopkins (1-0) earned the victory after an inning of working with a strikeout and one run allowed.
 
Going 3-for-4 at the plate was Skyler Valentine. The redshirt senior drove in two runs and scored once when he hit a solo home run. Jaxon Williams finished the night 3-for-5 with a run scored. Two RBIs also came off the bat of Chase Evans.
 
Making his first appearance and start on the rubber was Garrett Herrmann. He struck out two in 4.0 innings while giving up a run on five hits. Alex Klitsas surrendered a run on two hits in 1.2 innings of relief and Zachary Leigh tossed a perfect inning with a strikeout in the seventh. Dontae Woodard made his collegiate debut and struck out the lone batter he faced with the bases loaded.
 
Valentine led off the second inning with a single that fell inside the left field line. After Ryan Newman reached base on a fielder's choice, Evans smashed a two-run homer to left center field for an early 2-0 TXST lead. The home run was the first as a Bobcat for the junior outfielder.
 
TAMUCC cut its deficit in half when Mike Williams led off the fourth with a solo homer.
 
In the bottom of the frame, Valentine answered with a solo shot of his own to left field off a 1-1 offering to put the Bobcats ahead 3-1.
 
The Islanders put up six runs their next time at the plate to take a 7-3 advantage. Two runs scored on a Williams single through the left side and when Thomas Jeffries doubled down the right field line.
 
Colton Moore led off the bottom half of the fifth by drawing a walk. Williams followed with a double over the right fielder to put two runners in scoring position. A walk was then drawn by a pinch hitting Wesley Faison to load the bases. Two batters later, Will Hollis hit a grounder to the first baseman, who went to second for a force out that allowed a run to score. The next pitch was sent to right field by Valentine to bring home a run and cut the deficit to 5-3.
 
TAMUCC extended its lead with a run in the eighth on a sacrifice bunt from Itchy Burts. The Islanders tacked on four more runs in the next frame to put the game out of reach.
 
Next up for the Bobcats is a trip to Houston for the 19th Annual Shriners Hospitals for Children College Classic that takes place at Minute Maid Park. TXST's first opponent is Rice on Friday at 11 a.m.
 
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