BOONE, N.C. – Senior outfielder Skyler Valentine bashed two home runs in helping the Texas State baseball team (17-9, 5-2 Sun Belt) to an 8-3 win over Appalachian State (10-14, 3-4 Sun Belt) at Smith Stadium on Friday. He is the first Bobcat to hit two homers in a game since Derek Scheible on Mar. 11, 2018 at UC Santa Barbara.
 
Picking up the win was Nicholas Fraze (4-2) after striking out six in six innings of work. He did give up three runs on four hits and three walks. Will Sprinkle (1-4) took the loss as he surrendered four runs on seven hits and three walks in 4.1 innings.
 
Every TXST starter had at least one hit in the game as it pounded out 15 in the contest. Both Dalton Shuffield and Valentine went 3-for-5 at the plate. Valentine led all players with three runs scored and three RBIs.
 
Also recording a multi-hit game was Felipe Rodriguez and Jaxon Williams with two apiece. Both John Wuthrich and Rodriguez finished with two RBIs.
 
Kyle Bradford pitched two scoreless inning of relief and allowed only one hit. Zachary Leigh threw the final frame and struck out all three batters he faced.
 
Williams started the scoring by send an 0-2 pitch over the left field fence for a solo home run, his third of the season. The Mountaineers responded in the bottom half of the inning when Luke Drumheller hit a solo blast of his own to tie the game.
 
Ryan Newman led off the second by doubling down the right field line and would move to third on a sacrifice bunt. Rodriguez hit a deep fly to left field that allowed Newman to easily score put Texas State ahead 2-1.
 
The lead was short lived as Luke Allison hit a two-run homer to left center to give APP a one-run advantage.
 
In the fifth, Jaylen Hubbard started things off with a double to left center. Two batters later, Valentine hit a two-run bomb over the left field wall to put the Bobcats in front for good. The Pearland, Texas native followed two innings later with a solo shot to extend the lead to 5-3.
 
TXST added three insurance runs in the ninth. Two came on a single to left center off the bat of Wuthrich. Rodriguez drove in the final run when he doubled over the left fielder's head.
 
Leigh came on and struck out the side on 13 pitches to seal the victory for the Bobcats.
 
The series at Appalachian State continues tomorrow with first pitch scheduled for 12 p.m. CDT.
 
For all things Texas State baseball, be sure to follow the team on Instagram and Twitter.