SAN MARCOS, Texas – Senior first baseman Ryan Newman blasted a grand slam with two outs in the seventh inning for the Texas State baseball team (15-9, 4-2 Sun Belt) to run-rule ULM (7-16, 0-6 Sun Belt) 13-1 Sunday afternoon at Bobcat Ballpark. The victory also gave the Bobcats a series sweep over the Warhawks, the first Sun Belt Conference sweep at home since Appalachian State last season.
 
Connor Reich (4-0) pitched all seven innings for TXST to earn the complete game victory. He recorded a season-high eight strikeouts while giving up just one run on four hits and did not allow a walk for the third time this season. Taking the loss was Jacob Barton (1-4) after he struck out four and surrendered four runs on three hits and five walks.
 
Posting two base hits apiece were Dalton Shuffield, Jaxon Williams and Newman. Scoring three runs was Jaylen Hubbard, who also had two of the team's five stolen bases. Newman had a game-high five RBIs while Travon Benton, Hubbard and Valentine all drove in two runs each. Will Hollis recorded a hit and a walk to extend his reached base streak to 18 games.
 
The Bobcats offense was stagnant for the first four innings as they were held hitless. They were able to score a run in the second when Barton walked the bases loaded and Benton hit a slow roller to second that brought home Hubbard.
 
After the Warhawks tied the game in the top of the fifth, Felipe Rodriguez led off the bottom half of the inning with a single through the left side. Shuffield followed by bunting for a base hit. Williams laid down another bunt for a hit and the ULM third baseman threw the ball wide to allow Rodriguez to score.
 
Following a stolen base by Williams to put two in scoring position, Hubbard sent a 1-1 pitch back up the middle for a two-RBI single. Two more runs were scored on singles by Benton and Newman to give TXST a 6-1 advantage.
 
Texas State tacked on a run in the sixth on a Valentine single.
 
Benton drew a walk to begin the Bobcats' half of the seventh. Following a ULM pitching change, Rodriguez laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the senior outfielder into scoring position. Shuffield brought him home on a single to center field to make it a seven-run advantage.
 
A single by Hollis and a walk to Hubbard loaded the bases and forced another Warhawk pitching change. On the third pitch of Valentine's ensuing plate appearance, he was plunked to bring home a run and keep the bases juiced. Newman then blasted a 2-0 pitch over the right field fence for his run-rule walk-off grand slam.
 
The Bobcats will meet Rice for the third time this on Tuesday with first pitch slated for 6 p.m. at Bobcat Ballpark.
 
For all things Texas State baseball, be sure to follow the team on Instagram and Twitter.