BOONE, N.C. – Sophomore right-hander
Levi Wells threw a complete game as No. 9 Texas State (22-6, 6-1 Sun Belt) won 6-2 Saturday afternoon over Appalachian State (10-15, 3-5 Sun Belt) at Smith Stadium to clinch the series.
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Wells (4-1) allowed two runs, one of them earned, on six hits and struck out two on only 96 pitches. It was the first career complete game for the La Porte, Texas native and the first by a Bobcat since
Zachary Leigh did so 366 days ago. Suffering the loss was Xander Hamilton (1-4) after he gave up two runs on three walks and two hits in an inning of work.
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Jose Gonzalez went 2-for-4 at the plate with two RBI while
Ben McClain scored twice. TXST worked 10 free passes with two each being drawn by
Daylan Pena,
August Ramirez and McClain.
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McClain started the game by drawing a walk.
Justin Thompson hit a slow chopper to third that he beat out for an infield single and Ramirez was walked to load the bases. A four-pitch walk was drawn by Pena to bring home the first run of the game. Gonzalez followed with a dribbler down the third baseline that he beat out for an infield single and increase the lead to 2-0.
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The Mountaineers were able to get a run back in the bottom of the frame on a single through the left side.
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Increasing the lead back to two was Leary to leadoff the fifth. He crushed a 3-1 offering over the left field wall for his first collegiate home run.
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Peyton Lewis was walked and advancing into scoring position on a high chopper to third. McClain laced a 3-1 pitch just past the second baseman and the ball rolled all the way to the wall, which allowed the senior outfielder to record a standup triple and increase TXST's advantage to 4-1 after the top half of the sixth.
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Phillip Cole cut the deficit to 4-2 for the Bobcats when he homered to left to leadoff the next half inning.
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With two gone in the seventh, Ramirez hit a shot to center field that hit off the wall and he slid into third for his first triple of the season. After Pena was walked, Gonzalez hit a single back up the middle to increase the lead to three.
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Another run was tallied on a groundout by
Justin Thompson to make it 6-2 in favor of Texas State after the top of the eighth.
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Two runners got into scoring position for App State in the ninth. Wells induced a flyout to
John Wuthrich in right to wrap up the contest.
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Sunday's series finale is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. CT and will be streamed on ESPN+.
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