HOUSTON – For nearly seven innings, Texas State (4-7) kept it close or held a lead but a late offensive burst from No. 8 Texas Tech (6-3) ended the game 8-4 in the Red Raiders favor Friday night to cap off the first day of the Shriners Hospital for Children College Classic at Minute Maid Park.
 
Zachary Leigh (0-2) took the loss after giving up five runs over 6.2 innings while striking out eight. Picking up the win was Hayde Key (1-0) as he struck out five in three scoreless innings.
 
Recording the final five outs on the mound for the Bobcats was Otto Wofford.
 
Jose Gonzalez went 2-for-3 with his first home run in a Texas State uniform. Wesley Faison scored twice and drove in two runs on a homer as well.
 
The Bobcats struck first in the second when Gonzalez smashed a home run into the TTU bullpen in right center. However, the Red Raiders answered back with a three-run homer from Cody Masters in the bottom of the frame.
 
In the fourth, Justin Thompson led off by beating out a grounder to third for an infield single. Two batters later, Faison blasted the first pitch he saw over the Crawford Box for a two-run homer to tie the game 3-3.
 
A walk, single and hit by pitch loaded the bases with one out for Texas State in the sixth. Tucker Redden lifted a 3-2 offering deep enough to right that allowed Faison to tag and score to put the Bobcats up by a run.
 
The lead would hold until the seventh when TTU score three runs. The Red Raiders added two more in the eighth for the final runs of the contest.
 
Next for the Bobcats is a meeting with No. 9 TCU on Saturday at 7 p.m. at Minute Maid Park.
 
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