SAN MARCOS, Texas – All of the offense for the Texas State baseball team (10-4) came in the eighth inning of a 5-0 victory Friday night in the series opener against Bethune-Cookman (5-9) at Bobcat Ballpark.
 
Brent Hebert (3-0) threw three scoreless innings of relief with a career-high five strikeouts to earn the win. Isaak Gutierrez (0-1) took the loss after surrendering four runs on four hits in 2.1 innings.
 
Starting on the mound for the Bobcats was Zachary Leigh. The senior right-hander tossed six scoreless innings and set a new career best with 11 strikeouts. He is the first TXST hurler to reach double-digit strikeouts in a game since Hunter McMahon on Apr. 27, 2019 at Louisiana.
 
Both Will Hollis and Jaxon Williams finished with two hits and two RBI apiece. Also driving in a run was Justin Thompson.
 
Texas State threatened to score the first time at the plate with both Wesley Faison and Dalton Shuffield drawing walks and moving into scoring position on a balk. A strikeout, however, thwarted the Bobcats chance at scoring.
 
In the fourth, the Wildcats were able to load the bases with two outs on two singles and a walk. Leigh got Eli Young swinging to end the visitor's threat and keep the game scoreless.
 
BCU got two players in scoring position in the seventh when Colton Olasin singled down the left field line and advance to second on a throw to third to try to get Shamir Morales. With the infield drawn in, Hebert induced a groundout that saw Shuffield make a diving stop and throwing the batter out at first. A strikeout ended the frame and got Hebert out of the jam.
 
A single to left center off John Wuthrich's bat led off the bottom of the eighth. Shuffield followed with a bunt single and Faison was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Facing a 3-2 count, Thompson hit a shot down the right field line that the Wildcat outfielder was not able to get to that brought home the first run of the game.
 
Two batters later and after a pitching change, Williams hit a hard shot just under the first baseman's glove for a two-RBI single. The senior second baseman was unfortunately thrown out trying to advance to second on a wide throw to third. After back-to-back walks drawn by Peyton Lewis and Tucker Redden, Hollis hit a hard shot just past the pitcher into center to bring home the final two runs of the game.
 
The series continues Saturday with first pitch slated for 2:30 p.m. at Bobcat Ballpark.
 
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