SAN MARCOS, Texas – After playing all four games on the road last week, the Texas State baseball team returns to the friendly confines of Bobcat Ballpark on Tuesday against Houston Baptist in the first of five straight home game. The first pitch is slated for 6 p.m.
 
Coming into the game, the Bobcats are 23-13 on the season while the Huskies are 12-23 overall.
 
A video stream and live stats will be available for the game through the TXST athletic website. Bill Culhane will have the radio call on KTSW 89.9 FM.
 
Probable Starting Pitchers
Tuesday: TXST RHP Garrett Herrmann (3-1, 3.90 ERA) vs. HBU RHP Chris Burns (0-0, 6.55 ERA)
 
Scouting Texas State
Texas State won three of its four games last week after taking two of three at Georgia Southern and beating 12th-ranked Texas A&M 5-3 at Blue Bell Park. The Bobcats enter the game 6-2 in midweek games and have won the last three.
 
A strong performance at the plate in Statesboro, Georgia, capped off by a 4-for-4 performance, pushed Dalton Shuffield's batting average to a team leading .345. He also paces the team with eight stolen bases and tied for the lead with 48 hits with Jaylen Hubbard. The senior third baseman comes in hitting .333 with 35 runs scored, 20 RBIs, nine doubles, seven stolen bases, four triples and four home runs.
 
Jaxon Williams has scored a team best 38 runs and is third on the team with 46 hits and a .331 batting average. Will Hollis comes in with a team-high 11 doubles and 30 walks while batting .319. Coming in hitting exactly at .300 is Travon Benton, who has hit three home runs and plated 14 runs.
 
Leading the team with five homers is Skyler Valentine. The senior outfielder's 25 RBIs are tied for the most with Hollis.
 
Scheduled to take the mound on Tuesday is Garrett Herrmann. It will be the junior right-hander's eight midweek start of the season. He enters the game with a 3-1 record, 3.90 ERA and 25 strikeouts in 32.1 innings of work.
 
Scouting Houston Baptist
Last week saw Houston Baptist go 3-1 with a midweek victory against UT Rio Grande Valley and two wins over Abilene Christian. All four games were played at Husky Field. On the road this season, the Huskies are 1-14 with the lone victory being a 14-0 contest at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in the series finale on Apr. 6.
 
Brandon Bena leads HBU with a .314 batting average, 10 doubles and 24 RBIs. His 38 hits and 33 strikeouts are the second most on the squad.
 
Also recording 38 hits is Johnny Gonzales, who is batting .277 with a team-high three triples. He has scored 22 times, driven in 22 runs and hit three home runs.
 
Scoring a team best 27 times and recording 40 hits is Trent Franson. Both Nathan Soriano and Chase Talbot have yet to be thrown out stealing a base as they have nine and eight stolen bases, respectively.
 
Chris Burns is scheduled to take the hill for the Huskies on Tuesday. The freshman right-hander has yet to receive a decision in six appearances that includes one start. He comes in with a 6.55 ERA, seven walks and six strikeouts in 11.0 innings.
 
J.T. Newton has recorded all four of the team's saves and has made a team-high 14 relief appearances. The senior right-hander is 0-4 with a 4.82 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 28.0 innings. Jacob Coats has pitched in 13 games with one start. He has totaled 19 innings with 12 free passes and struck out 10 to record a 3-2 record and 6.16 ERA.
 
All-Time Series
Texas State leads the all-time series 15-0 over Houston Baptist. The last meeting between the teams took place on Apr. 30, 2013 at Bobcat Ballpark with the Bobcats winning 7-3. When playing in San Marcos, TXST has an 11-0 record.
 
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