CONWAY, S.C. – The Texas State baseball team (36-20) most likely saw its season come to an end with a 13-4 loss against Coastal Carolina (31-24-1) Thursday afternoon at Springs Brooks Stadium to be eliminated from the Sun Belt Conference Championship.
 
Connor Reich (8-2) suffered the loss after surrendering seven runs and eight hits and three walks. The senior right-hander did strikeout four to give him 90 on the season and becoming the first Bobcat hurler to reach the mark since Austen Williams in 2014. Jay Causey (1-1) picked up the win after working 1.1 innings of relief and Nick Parker recorded his first save of the season as he tossed the final 2.2 innings.
 
Seeing action out of the pen for TXST were Zachary Leigh (2.0 IP), Hunter McMahon (0.2 IP) and Brayden Theriot (1.0 IP).
 
Both Jaylen Hubbard and John Wuthrich finished the contest with two hits each. Hubbard concluded his Texas State career as only the second player with over 800 at-bats (803) while finishing third in hits (250) and tied for third in total bases (361) and doubles (46).
 
The most productive day at the plate for the Bobcats was by Jaxon Williams. The Rosenberg, Texas native reached base all five times he came to the plate via two walks, a hit by pitch, a single and fielding error.
 
The Chanticleers struck first in the second inning with a solo home run and then a three-run homer.
 
It took until the fourth inning for the Bobcats to record their first hit of the game, a single by Wuthrich to left field. Dalton Shuffield was issued a free pass to load the bases with two outs. Travon Benton battles and was able to draw a walk to bring in TXST's first run of the game and tournament.
 
CCU made its second pitching change of the inning but it made no difference to Ryan Newman. The senior first baseman was walked on four pitches to bring in the Bobcats second run of the game to cut the deficit in half.
 
Back-to-back singles by Hubbard and Williams led off the top of the fifth. The Chants' pitcher attempted to pick Hubbard off second but his throw went into center field to put runners on the corners. That error was key as Will Hollis grounded into a double play that scored Hubbard and cut the deficit to 4-3.
 
In the bottom of the frame, the Chanticleers struck back with three runs after loading the bases with 1 out to retake a four-run lead.
 
Texas State loaded the basses in the next half inning after lead off singles by Hubbard and Rodriguez and a CCU fielding error. Only one run was able to be scored which came on a deep fly down the left field line off the bat of John Wuthrich, as he just missed hitting his third grand slam of the season.
 
A four-run advantage was retaken by the Chants on a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh. They added two more on singles in the frame to go up 10-4. They would add three more in the eighth with their fourth home run of the game.
 
The Bobcats attempted rally in the ninth as they were able to load the bases on a Hollis single and walks by Skyler Valentine and Wuthrich. Any chance at scoring came to an end with a double play that wrapped up the contest.
 
With the elimination, TXST will wait and see if it will receive an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament on Monday's selection show at 11 a.m. CT and broadcast on ESPNU.
 
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