SAN MARCOS, Texas – Texas State (21-27) jumped out to an early lead in the first and never trailed in Saturday's 13-4 victory over South Alabama at Bobcat Ballpark. The win clinched the series for the Bobcats, its first-ever over the Jaguars.
 
Zeke Wood (3-4) earned the win after striking out three while giving up three runs on six hits and three walks in five innings. Matt Boswell (2-3) suffered the loss after TXST got to him for seven runs on eight hits in just over two innings of action.
 
Reece Gould threw two shutout innings with two strikeouts. Both Cade Medlin and Matthew Nicholas tossed an inning out of the bullpen.
 
Dalton Shuffield was 4-for-5 and fell a triple shy of hitting for the cycle while scoring three times and driving in three runs. Also finishing with three RBI was Jose Gonzalez, who also had three hits along with Will Hollis. Finishing with two base knocks was Chase Evans, Peyton Lewis and John Wuthrich.
 
Leading off the offensive half of the first for the Bobcats was Wuthrich, who singled to center field. Hollis followed with a see-eye single through the right side to put runners on the corners. Gonzalez singled to center to plate the first run of the game.
 
Shuffield followed with a double to right and Cole Coffey ground out to bring home the third run of the frame. Evans wrapped up the scoring in the first with an RBI double to left center that put Texas State ahead 4-0.
 
USA would cut the lead down to a run with a three-run third.
 
The Bobcats responded in the bottom of the inning beginning with a leadoff home run by Gonzalez to center. Shuffield would reach on an infield single to the shortstop and come around to score after Coffey drew a walk and two wild pitches. Lewis laced a single to right to tally the third run of the inning and put the Bobcats back in front by four.
 
Shuffield added to the Bobcats' total in the fourth with a solo homer to left. It was his third home run of the season.
 
With two on and two out in the seventh, five consecutive TXST batters hit RBI singles to wrap up the scoring for the Bobcats and put them ahead 13-3.
 
The Jaguars added a run in the ninth for the last run of the game.
 
Sunday's series finale will begin at 11 a.m. and be available to watch on ESPN+.
 
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