STATESBORO, Ga. – The Texas State baseball team (23-13, 9-6 Sun Belt) combined to score 11 runs in the third and fourth innings to defeat Georgia Southern (20-16, 8-7 Sun Belt) 14-4 in seven innings at J.I. Clements Stadium Sunday afternoon to take the Sun Belt Conference series. It is the second time this season the Bobcats have run-ruled a Sun Belt opponent on getaway day.
 
Connor Reich improved to 5-1 on the season after going 6.1 innings. He struck out eight while giving up four runs on nine hits. Suffering the loss was Daniel Collins (3-1) after he gave up four runs on five hits in 2.2 innings.
 
Recording the final two outs for TXST was Zachary Leigh as he recorded a strikeout to conclude the game.
 
Dalton Shuffield was a perfect 4-for-4 on the day at the plate with two RBIs and two runs scored. Both Jaylen Hubbard and Felipe Rodriguez had three hits apiece as they each fell a triple shy of hitting for the cycle, scored twice and drove in two runs.
 
Plating a game-high three runs was John Wuthrich. He also scored two runs along with Will Hollis and Jaxon Williams.
 
The Eagles struck first in the bottom of the first. After a walk, Tyler Martin tripled down the left field line to put GS on the scoreboard. Mason McWhorter then sent the second pitch he saw to right field for a RBI double to put the Bobcats down 2-0 early.
 
Rodriguez led off the third by singling to left field. Williams would also single, this time to right field, and Will Hollis followed by drawing a free pass to load the bases. On the first pitch he saw, Wuthrich laced a single to left center that plated two runs and tied the game.
 
A balk moved both base runners into scoring position, which paid off as Benton grounded out to the shortstop to bring home another run. Two batters late, Shuffield laced a 3-2 pitch to left field for a RBI single to increase TXST's advantage to 4-2.
 
Rodriguez increased the lead with a solo shot over the left field wall to lead off the fourth. Hubbard followed with a 440 foot blast to center field as the Bobcats hit back-to-back home runs for the second straight game.
 
Following a bloop double down the right field line by Williams, Hollis and Wuthrich were walked to load the bases. A wild pitch that bounced up the first baseline scored a run and then Skyler Valentine grounded out to the shortstop to bring home the fourth run of the inning.
 
Shuffield ripped a 2-2 offering to left field for his second straight RBI single to increase the lead to seven runs. Rodriguez doubled down the left field line that hit off the third baseman's glove to bring home another run. The seventh run of the game was added on a seeing-eye single through the left side from Hubbard.
 
In the top of the sixth, Hubbard laced a double to left center and Williams drew a walk. Two batters later, Wuthrich laced a 2-2 offering thru the left side for a RBI single and increase the lead to 10.
 
GS got back to within single-digits when Noah Ledford sent a 1-0 pitch over the right center field fence for a solo shot.
 
The Bobcats added two more runs in the next half inning. The first was on a RBI single into center field by Ryan Newman. Shuffield scored the second run on a passed ball that got all the way back to the backstop for a 14-3 lead.
 
For the second straight inning, GS hit a solo home run from Martin to cut its deficit to 10 runs. It would be the final run of the game as Leigh concluded the game on a swinging strikeout.
 
TXST is back home on Tuesday at 6 p.m. against Houston Baptist. It is the first of five consecutive home games.
 
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