SAN MARCOS, Texas – The series opener on Friday saw Texas State (6-9) fall 12-3 to Houston (12-3) at Bobcat Ballpark.
 
Zachary Leigh (0-3) took the loss as he surrendered nine runs on nine hits in five innings while striking out six. Robert Gasser (2-1) earned the win with 10 strikeouts in six innings and giving up a run on three hits.
 
Triston Dixon threw three innings of relief with two strikeouts. He did allow three runs, all unearned, and four hits. Hayden VanderRoest made his collegiate debut and threw a scoreless ninth and struck out one.
 
All of the Bobcats' eight hits came from Will Hollis, Tucker Redden, Dalton Shuffield and Justin Thompson as they finished with two hits apiece.
 
Texas State got on the scoreboard first in the second. Shuffield led off with a single through the right side and advanced to second when Ben McClain was hit by a pitch. A 2-2 offering to Redden was laced to right center for an RBI single.
 
The Cougars answered back with three runs over the next three innings to take a 9-1 lead.
 
Redden led off the seventh by beating out a grounder to the shortstop for an infield single. Hollis then smashed an 0-1 pitch over the right center wall for a two-run home run to cut the deficit to six. It was his second straight game with a homer.
 
Thompson immediately followed with a single through the left side and Jose Gonzalez drew a walked. Any more possible runs were snuffed out on a controversial call by the home plate umpire that ended the inning following a strikeout. The batter's momentum carried him partially over the plate as the catcher followed with a snap throw to second to try to pickoff Thompson that one-hopped to the bag. The home plate umpire ruled batter interference and called Thompson out to end the frame despite the junior third baseman getting back to the base in plenty of time even if interference had not been ruled.
 
Houston concluded the scoring with three more runs in the top of the eighth.
 
Game two of the series will see first pitch at 2:30 p.m. at the Bobcat Ballpark.
 
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