SAN MARCOS, Texas – A low-scoring midweek affair took place Tuesday night at Bobcat Ballpark as No. 17 Texas State (35-11) defeated Incarnate Word (16-25) by a 3-1 score.
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"We had been challenging guys and Tony [Robie] has been one of them for us. He has started for us on Sundays and has been some big wins for us.," said head coach
Steven Trout. "That was a really good start for him [tonight]. Then Austin [Smith] was really good as well. Hopefully, we found pieces of the puzzle tonight."
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Austin Smith (1-0) picked up the win as he struck out three and surrendered an unearned run on three hits in 2.2 innings out of the bullpen. Taking the loss was Chandler David (2-2) as he allowed two runs on five hits and three walks with five strikeouts in 6.2 innings.
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Earning his 10th save of the season was
Tristan Stivors after striking out four in two scoreless innings. He is the third Bobcat ever to record double-digit saves in a season, joining Hunter Lemke (11; 2014) and Pasquale Mazzoccolli (13; 2016). The save was also the 19th of his career to tie the TXST program record held by Hunter Lemke (2011-14).
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Tony Robie started on the rubber and tossed 4.1 innings without allowing a run. The right-hander recorded three strikeouts and gave up only two hits.
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At the plate,
Jose Gonzalez led the team with two hits and both he and
Ben McClain hit solo home runs. Finishing with a hit on the night as well was
Wesley Faison,
Daylan Pena and
John Wuthrich.
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McClain put the first run on the scoreboard in the third with a solo homer to left field on a 1-0 pitch.
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In the fifth, Faison led off with a double to center and moved up to third on a deep fly out off the bat of
August Ramirez. The third straight shot to centerfield, this time by
Ryan Leary, resulted in Faison trotting home on a sacrifice fly to put Texas State up by two.
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The Cardinals got back to within a run in the next half inning on a Hernan Yanez RBI single.
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On the first pitch in the bottom of the eight, Gonzalez sent it over the left field wall for his seventh round tripper of the season and give the Bobcats an insurance run.
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Stivors would strikeout the first two batters of the ninth and induce a fly out to center to close out the game.
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Next up for TXST is a trip to ULM this weekend. The first game of the three-game series is scheduled for Friday at 6 p.m.
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