SAN MARCOS, Texas – Trailing by a run entering the bottom of the eighth, No. 15 Texas State (40-11, 22-4 Sun Belt) scored three runs and saw
John Wuthrich hit the go-ahead home run to claim the series over Louisiana (30-19, 17-9 Sun Belt) with a 6-4 win on Senior Day. The 40th victory for the Bobcats is the most in program history in the regular season.
"It is a really good team over there and we just found a way to come out on top. I thought we were really good early and then their pitcher established the inside of the plate in the middle innings which got us off our game," said head coach
Steven Trout. "Wuthrich, who had been struggling, took a really big swing. He is built for big moments and what a great moment."
Â
With the win and Georgia Southern's loss to Little Rock, TXST is now one win away from claiming a share of the Sun Belt Conference regular season title.
Â
The trio of
Peyton Lewis,
Dalton Shuffield and
Justin Thompson all finished with two hits on the day. Both Thompson and Wuthirch drove in two runs while one apiece came off the bat of Lewis and Shuffield.
Â
Picking up the win was
Cameron Bush (2-2) after throwing two scoreless innings of relief with two strikeouts.
Tristan Stivors picked up his 14th save of the season, setting a new program record, as he pitched a scoreless ninth and struck out one. Suffering the loss was Jake Hammond (2-1) after giving up Wuthrich's go-ahead round tripper.
Â
Levi Wells struck out three while throwing the first 4.2 innings.
Matthew Nicholas struck out two in a scoreless inning and
Austin Smith recorded an out via a strikeout in relief.
Â
The Ragin' Cajuns opened the scoring with a run in the first. The bottom of the frame began with
Ben McClain singling to center. He would later score on Shuffield's double down the third baseline. Two batters later, Thompson also hit an RBI double to put the Bobcats in front 2-1.
Â
Lewis added to the score as he led off the second with a solo home run off the scoreboard in right center. It was his fourth homer of the season.
Â
Â
TXST maintained a two-run advantage until UL scored a run in the fourth and two more in the fifth to fall behind by a run.
Â
The Cajuns nearly added to their lead in the sixth when the first two batters reached to put runners on the corners. Nicholas came on and struck out the first two batters he faced before inducing a ground out to Shuffield to end the frame.
Â
Shuffield singled to center to start the bottom of the eighth. The senior shortstop moved up to second on a groundout and advanced to third on a failed pickoff attempt that went into center field. Thompson hit a deep fly to center that allowed Shuffield to score to tie the game.
Â
After a walk to
Wesley Faison, Wuthrich smashed an 0-1 offering to left center that went 442 feet for his 13th homer of the season and put the Bobcats ahead 6-4. It was also the 75th home run hit by Texas State this season to tie the program record held by the 2009 team.
Â
Â
Stivors came on to pitch in the ninth and walked the first batter. He struck out Max Marusak and then induced Carson Roccaforte to hit a grounder to Shuffield, who turned the inning-ending double play.
Â
Â
The series finale is scheduled for first pitch at 1 p.m. Prior to the game, the 1997 team will be recognized for playing in the program's first-ever NCAA regional appearance and former head coach Howard Bushong will throw out the ceremonial first pitch.
Â
For all things Texas State baseball, be sure to follow the team on
Facebook,
Instagram and
Twitter.
Â
