SAN MARCOS, Texas – Seven runs over two innings for South Alabama (26-17) proved costly for Texas State (21-28) in a 9-4 loss in the series final Sunday afternoon at Bobcat Ballpark.
 
Taking the loss was Matthew Nicholas (0-2) after he allowed three runs on two hits in two-thirds of an inning. Jase Dalton (5-3) came out of the bullpen and threw five scoreless innings to pick up the win.
 
Starting on the mound for the Bobcats was Tony Robie, who struck out two in 4.1 innings but allowed four runs on four walks and three hits. Tristan Stivors tossed three innings out of the pen with two strikeouts and Otto Wofford threw a scoreless ninth.
 
Will Hollis was 2-for-4, scored twice and drove in a run. Cade Manning also had two base knocks and recorded his first collegiate RBI.
 
For the third consecutive game, John Wuthrich led off the bottom of the first with a hit as he beat out a high chopper to third for an infield single. After a passed ball, Hollis plated the junior outfield on a double down the right field line.
 
Two batters later with Dalton Shuffield at the plate, JoJo Booker threw one of his three wild pitches to allow Hollis to score and make it a 2-0 lead. Dalton Shuffield nearly added to the advantage when he smacked a 3-2 offering to left center that hit off the yellow marking at the top of the wall and settled for a double. It was his 33rd career double to move him into a tie for 14 in program history.
 
USA tied the game after plating a run apiece in the second and third innings.
 
In the bottom of the third, Hollis led off with a single to center and later advance to second on a wild pitch. Justin Thompson drew a walk and the ball got past the catcher on ball four to put runners on the corners. A 3-2 pitch to Jose Gonzalez was hit deep enough to center to allow Hollis to tag up and score to put TXST back in front 3-2.
 
Cole Coffey started off the fourth by doubling to right center. He would later score when Manning laced a single to left center that increased the lead to 4-2.
 
After getting the first out in the fifth, Robie walked two batters and hit another to load the bases. After brining in Nicholas from the bullpen, the right-hander was able to get Michael Sandle to hit a grounder to Shuffield. The Bobcats were able to get the out at second base but the relay throw to first for a possible inning-ending double play was short and got away from Coffey to allow two runs to score to knot the score.
 
A three-run homer by Kaleb DeLaTorre capped off a five-run frame for the Jaguars in the fifth.
 
South Alabama would tack on two more runs in the sixth for the final runs of the game.
 
Next up for TXST is the home series finale next weekend against Georgia State. The first game of the series is scheduled for Friday at 6 p.m.
 
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