ARLINGTON, Texas – The bats for No. 19 Texas State (28-9, 12-3 Sun Belt) were hot from the start as it run-ruled rival UT Arlington (11-25, 4-11 Sun Belt) 17-6 in seven innings Saturday afternoon at Clay Gould Ballpark to complete the sweep. It was the third road sweep in Sun Belt Conference play this season for the Bobcats.
 
"I though our offense was relentless all day long starting with four runs off a really tough starter that throws between 95 and 97," said head coach Steven Trout. "When they came back and scored in the fifth to make it 7-6, we scored seven and then three. It was a really good offensive day"
 
Every starter for TXST recorded a hit with seven finishing with two base knocks. Daylan Pena and Jose Gonzalez hit a three and two-run home runs, respectively, and plated four runs apiece. Driving in three runs each was Ben McClain and August Ramirez.
 
Triston Dixon (5-0) pitched 1.1 scoreless innings of relief with a strikeout to pick up the win. Cade Winquest (1-2) allowed four runs on five walks and two hits in the first frame as he suffered the loss.
 
Getting the start was Cameron Bush as he struck out a batter in four innings. Trevis Sundgren threw a scoreless seventh while Carson Keithley and Matthew Nicholas recorded an out apiece out of the bullpen.
 
A leadoff walk was drawn by McClain to start the game. Gonzalez followed by crushing a 1-1 offering to right center that went 433 feet to put the Bobcats ahead 2-0. Ramirez put two more on the scoreboard in the frame with a two RBI double down the left field line.
 
Dalton Shuffield started the second with a double to left center. Two pitches later, Gonzalez laced a double to right to plate his third run of the game. John Wuthrich hit a single to left to bring home the second run of the frame to make it a 6-0 advantage.
 
The Mavericks' first two batters in the next half inning reach that put runners on the corners. A double play was induced that plate a run and cut the lead to five.
 
Isaiah Ortega-Jones singled to left with one gone in the third. He swiped second and advanced to third as the catcher air mailed the throw into centerfield. A bloop single from McClain plated a run to increase the advantage to 7-1
 
UTA responded in the fourth with two runs, both of which came with two outs. The Mavs added three more in the fifth to cut the deficit to 7-6.
 
The sixth began with McClain working a walk and Shuffield laying down a bunt single towards the first baseman. After a wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position, Gonzalez hit a deep fly to center that scored McClain and allowed Shuffield to move up to third. Justin Thompson laced a single through the drawn in infield to make it a three-run lead.
 
Pena followed by send a 1-0 offering to left field that landed just fair for an RBI double. A slow bouncer was hit off the bat by Ramirez down the first base line. The Mav pitcher attempted to pick the ball up and tag the junior catcher. He fumbled picking the ball up that allowed Ramirez to reach safely and Pena to come all the way around from second to score as no one was covering the plate to put TXST ahead 11-6.
 
The scoring continued as Ramirez scored on a Cameron Gibbons single to left after reaching second on a wild pitch. After Ortega-Jones was plunked, McClain hit a deep fly to left that saw the outfielder nearly make a leaping catch, but the ball hit the ground and ended up being a two-RBI triple for the junior outfielder that put the Bobcats up by eight runs.
 
Back-to-back singles by Thompson and Wuthrich, respectively, brough up Pena with only one out in the seventh. He got ahold of a 2-1 offering for a three-run homer to increase the advantage to 17-6.
 
Next up is for the Bobcats is a meeting with I-35 rival UTSA on Tuesday at Bobcat Ballpark. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
 
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