SAN MARCOS, Texas – A windy day on Saturday at Bobcat Ballpark was taken advantage of by Texas State (7-9) in a 15-9 victory over Houston (9-5) to even the series. The Bobcats combined to hit seven home runs with three coming off the bat of Cole Coffey to tie the program and individual single-game records.
 
Only other time Texas State hit seven homers in a game was against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Feb. 23, 2002. Coffey became the fourth Bobcat to have a three-dinger game with the last being from Jeff McVaney against McNeese on Mar. 1, 2011. Also hitting three home runs for the Bobcats in a contest were Spenser Dennis (Prairie View A&M; Apr. 15, 2009) and Wade Haynes (Texas Wesleyan; Feb. 26, 1987).
 
The senior first baseman also tied the Sun Belt Conference record with his three-homer performance. He is the second Sun Belt player to do so this season with Luke Cerny also doing so on Feb. 20 against Youngstown State.
 
Cameron Bush (1-1), making his first career weekend start, earned the win as he went five innings with four strikeouts. The right-hander surrendered five runs on five hits and two walks. Taking the loss was Sean Bretz (0-1) after he gave up three runs on three walks and two hits in 1.2 innings of relief.
 
The Cougars struck first in the top half of the first with a run on three consecutive singles.
 
In the second, Johnny Gonzales led off with a single to right center. Coffey followed two batters later by send a 1-1 pitch over the left field wall for a two-run shot. Bryce Bonner immediately hit a homer on the first pitch he saw for back-to-back bombs. Justin Thompson put TXST up 4-1 when he doubled down the left field line.
 
After UH hit a three-run home run to tie the game in the third, Gonzales led off the bottom of the frame with a solo shot to left field to give the Bobcats a one-run advantage.
 
Gonzales plated two more runs the next inning with a single to right. Dalton Shuffield drew a bases loaded walk in the fifth and Coffey smacked his second homer of the contest in the sixth, a solo shot, to put the Bobcats in front 9-5.
 
The eighth began with Ben McClain hitting a single to right. On the very next pitch, Will Hollis smashed the ball over the right centerfield fence for his fourth homer of the season. It was also Hollis' third straight game with a home run.
 
Later in the inning, Shuffield drove in his second run of the game on a sacrifice fly. Gonzales recorded his first triple of the season off the center field wall and was brought home on a two-run bomb from Jaxon Williams to right. The final home run of the game for the Bobcats came from Coffey on a 2-2 pitch that was a no-doubter to right field.
 
The Cougars tallied the final runs of the game on a Steven Rivas grand slam in the ninth.
 
Every batter recorded a hit and scored a run for the Bobcats. Gonzales was 4-for-6 with three RBI and scored thrice while following a double shy of hitting for the cycle. Coffey drove in a team-high four runs, all off his home runs.
 
TXST also drew 11 walks with Hollis being issued three free passes. Walking multiple times as well were Jose Gonzalez, Coffey and Shuffield.
 
On the mound, Matthew Nicholas threw 3.2 innings of relief with a career-high four strikeouts. Trevis Sundgren came on to record the final out.
 
The series finale against Houston takes place on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Bobcat Ballpark.
 
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