SAN MARCOS, Texas – The 30th-ranked Texas State baseball team split a twin bill on Saturday against Georgia State at Bobcat Ballpark. The Bobcats won the first game 5-2 before falling 3-1 in the second contest.
 
With the split, TXST is now 32-15 overall and 16-7 in the Sun Belt Conference while the Panthers are 14-33 on the season with a 5-18 mark in conference play.
 
Game 1: Texas State 5, Georgia State 1
Neither team was able to get anything going offensively for most of the first game of the day as the team's recorded five hits apiece.
 
GSU got on the scoreboard first in the sixth when Josh Smith reached on a fielder's choice to bring in a run.
 
TXST final got to Hunter Gaddis in the eighth when Dalton Shuffield led off with a double to left field as the ball hit off the leaping outfielder's glove. After the sophomore advanced to third on a ground out, Ryan Newman laced a double that fell just fair down the right field line to tie the game.
 
After a pitching change, Felipe Rodriguez reached on an infield single to the new hurler after no one covered first base and Jaylen Hubbard drew a walk to load the bases. Jaxon Williams smashed the first pitch he saw into the netting above the left field fence for a grand slam and give the Bobcats a 5-1 lead.
 
Brent Hebert (4-1) picked up the win on the mound after throwing three scoreless innings of relief with nine strikeouts. Gaddis (1-6) took the loss despite striking out nine and giving up just three hits in 7.1 innings.
 
All five Texas State batters that recorded a hit in the game also scored a run.
 
Game 2: Georgia State 3, Texas State 1
The second game of the doubleheader also turned into a pitchers' duel. Both hurlers kept the opponent off balance until the bottom of the fifth.
 
Rodriguez led off the frame with a single through the left side of the infield. He would advance to third on back-to-back ground outs. On a 0-2 pitch, Will Hollis smacked an RBI double to right center to put TXST ahead 1-0.
 
The score would remain the same until the top of the eighth when Rhett Harper hit a shot down the left field line that cleared the fence just inside the foul pole to tie the contest. Jake Corso tacked on another run that put the Panthers in front on an RBI double in the inning. The frame ended on that play as well when Rodriguez threw Daino Deas out at third after he rounded the bag too far.
 
A two out walk followed by back-to-back singles added an insurance run for GSU in the top of the ninth.
 
Ryan Watson (6-3) picked up the win after throwing the final 2.2 innings with two strikeouts and not allowing a hit. Hunter McMahon (5-5) took the loss the rubber. The sophomore right-hander was perfect for the first four innings before giving up a hit. He finished with five strikeouts while giving up two runs on four hits.
 
Both Rodriguez and Shuffield finished with two hits apiece at the plate. Also recording a base knock were John Wuthrich and Hollis.
 
The series concludes tomorrow at 12 p.m. at Bobcat Ballpark.
 
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