SAN MARCOS, Texas – A doubleheader sweep on Friday clinched the outright Sun Belt Conference regular season championship for the Texas State baseball team (36-18, 20-10 Sun Belt). The Bobcats defeated rival UT Arlington (31-24, 17-12 Sun Belt) 10-9 in game one and 13-11 in the second contest at Bobcat Ballpark to wrap up the regular season.
 
The regular season title is the first for TXST since joining the Sun Belt. It is also the first conference title in program history since 2011.
 
Game 1: Texas State 10, UT Arlington 9
In the first game of the day, the Mavericks jumped out to an early lead after plating five runs in the second. They got a solo home run from Andrew Miller and Connor Aube added a three-run shot later in the frame.
 
Travon Benton drew a walk with two outs in the bottom half of the inning. A 1-2 pitch was laced to left center for a double by Ryan Newman. The Bobcats were going to have two runners in scoring position but the left fielder mishandled the ball that allowed Benton to score and cut the deficit to 5-1.
 
In the fourth, Texas State started off the inning with three straight singles with Benton's plating the first run of the frame. Newman brought home another run after hitting a deep sacrifice fly to center field. Felipe Rodriguez reached base as the second baseman misplayed a grounder. The error would bite UTA as Jaylen Hubbard ripped a 1-2 offering down the left field line for a three-run homer to put the Bobcats in front 6-5.
 
The next inning saw TXST tack on another run on a Dalton Shuffield single to left field when the outfielder misjudged the home and the ball scooted past him.
 
UTA got back on the scoreboard in the seventh. The visitors scored four runs with two coming on a Zac Cook single and the other two on a Miller double to take a 9-7 lead.
 
With an out in the eighth, John Wuthrich doubled to left center on the first pitch he saw. After Skyler Valentine battled and drew a walk, Shuffield laced a triple down the right field line to tie the game. Benton followed by doubling to left center to bring home the go-ahead run.
 
The Mavs threatened in the ninth as Cook stole second while Anthony Dominguez struck out. Zachary Leigh induced a pop up to Jaxon Williams and then got Will Olson swinging to clinch the regular season championship.
 
Brayden Theriot (1-1) picked up the win after working 1.2 scoreless innings in relief with one strikeout. Leigh earned his fifth save of the year as he struck out two in his inning of work. Andrew Gross (2-3) suffered the loss as he allowed three runs on four hits in 1.1 innings.
 
Hunter McMahon started on the rubber for TXST. He worked six innings with three strikeouts but gave up seven hits, five walks and three free passes.
 
Will Hollis and Shuffield both recorded three hits on the day to lead the Bobcats at the plate. Both Benton and Shuffield drove in and scored two runs apiece while Valentine came around to score three times.
 
Recording two hits each in the afternoon were Benton, Hubbard, Valentine and Wuthrich.
 
Game 2: Texas State 13, UT Arlington 11
Unlike the first two games of the series, Texas State got on the scoreboard first in the third when Hubbard smashed a two-run home to left center. It also began a back and forth game.
 
UTA quickly responded as Josh Minjarez led off the next half inning with a solo homer on the first pitch of the frame.
 
The Mavericks took the lead in the fifth when Minjarez hit a three-run shot to go up 4-2.
 
In the bottom of the inning, Cole Coffey reached base as the shortstop booted the ball to lead off. Colton Moore was then hit by a pitch to put the tying run on base. With two outs, Hollis hit a deep shot to center field. The outfielder appeared to make the catch to end the frame but smashed into the wall and dropped the ball as both runners were able to score to tie the contest.
 
The visitors responded in the top of the sixth as Miller hit a three-run home run to left field to give them a three-run lead.
 
Valentine led off the bottom of the inning with a single back up the middle and Shuffield followed by getting issued a free pass. A 1-0 pitch was blasted over the scoreboard and nearly landed on the train track by Benton to tie the game at 7-7.
 
UTA scored for the fourth straight inning in the top of the seventh with three more runs to retake a three-run advantage.
 
The bottom of the eight began with Coffey battling to draw a walk after an eight-pitch plate appearance. After a fly out, Hubbard was walked to put two runners on base. Following the second fly out of the frame, Hollis walked on four pitches to load the bases. On the first pitch he saw, Wuthrich smashed his second grand slam of the season over the left center field wall to give the Bobcats the lead.
 
Following a pitching change, both Valentine and Shuffield were issued free passes. Benton would then rip a two-RBI double to right center to increase TXST's lead to 13-10.
 
The two-run double by Benton came into play as the Mavs were able to score a run on a Cook single through the right side to make it a two-run contest. Leigh induced a game-ending 4-6-3 double play to clinch the outright regular season crown.
 
Brent Hebert (5-1) was the victorious pitcher after going two innings while striking out one and giving up a run on three hits. Leigh earned his second save of the day and sixth of the season after working the ninth. His save total is tied for the ninth most in a season by a Bobcat hurler. Taking the loss was Riley Bost (1-4) after he surrendered four runs on four hits and four walks.
 
Connor Reich started but went just five innings. The senior right-hander struck out five while giving up four runs on eight hits and three walks. Garrett Herrmann made his first career relief appearance after 10 midweek starts.
 
Posted two hits apiece on the night for TXST was Benton, Shuffield, Valentine and Wuthrich. Benton drove in five runs and Wuthrich finished with four RBIs.
 
Coming around to score twice was Coffey, Hubbard, Moore, Shuffield and Valentine.
 
Next up for the Bobcats is the Sun Belt Championship Tournament that will take place next week in Conway, South Carolina on the campus of Coastal Carolina. TXST will play on Wednesday against the winner of the No. 8/9 seed single-elimination contest. First pitch time will be announced later this weekend after the rest of the league wraps up the regular season.
 
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