SAN MARCOS, Texas – For just the third time since joining the Sun Belt Conference, Texas State (11-6, 0-1 Sun Belt) fell in its conference opener as 25-ranked Southern Miss (12-5, 1-0 Sun Belt) claimed Friday's contest 4-2 at Bobcat Ballpark. The Bobcats also lost their first conference game of the season in 2019 and 2021.
 
"I thought it was a good game. Their guy was good and thought we did a good job of grinding out at-bats to get him out of the game, but just couldn't get to their lefty [Sivley]. We had our chances but got out of our approach a bit," said head coach Steven Trout. "I liked our competitiveness but would like to see a little better execution. Got to wake up tomorrow to get ready for another really good arm for them."
 
Half of TXST's four hits came from Peyton Lewis. Also with a base knock was Chase Mora and Davis Powell, who also scored a run along with Jose Gonzalez.
 
Without the services of Zeke Wood this weekend, Cameron Bush (0-1) was called upon to start. The junior went three innings but surrendered three runs on four hits to take the loss. Picking up the win was Tanner Hall as he struck out four in 5.2 innings and allowed two runs. Kors Sivley had three strikeouts and allowed just two hits over the final 3.2 innings to earn his second save of the season.
 
Texas State used four pitchers out of the bullpen and they allowed just two hits and one run over the last six frames. Rhett McCaffety recorded two strikeouts as he didn't allow a run in a career-high three innings. Carson Keithley, Jonathan Martinez and Otto Wofford all worked an inning with both Martinez and Wofford striking out a batter.
 

M6 | Got him looking to end the frame!

USM 3
TXST 0#EatEmUp #SlamMarcos x @RhettMccaffety pic.twitter.com/D7WBHSIjCk

— Texas State Baseball (@TxStateBaseball) March 18, 2023

 
"I thought Rhett was great going through the lineup once, which was the plan for him. Keithley and Otto both limited them as well," said Trout. "We are still trying to find more depth in our bullpen and those guys gave us a good chance. Hopefully, that is a good start for them and hoping to see it again.
 
An RBI single for Ben Johnson put the visitors in front in the second. Two USM batters were plunked on back-to-back pitches in the third with two outs and they would both end up scoring on a single and wild pitch to increase the Golden Eagles lead to 3-0.
 
With one gone in the bottom of the sixth, Powell reached base on a fielding error by the third baseman and Gonzalez would be hit by a pitch. Daylan Pena would then ground out to his counterpart to move both runners into scoring position.
 
August Ramirez hit a one-hopper right back to Hall. The junior right-hander made a mental mistake thinking there was only one out and tied to get Powell out coming home. He chased the junior shortstop back to the third and threw to the third baseman, who lost the ball on the transfer that allowed Powell to score. Mora followed two pitches later with an RBI single to left to cut the deficit to 3-2.
 

Mental mistake puts us on the scoreboard!#EatEmUp #SlamMarcos pic.twitter.com/aCU6hfdHab

— Texas State Baseball (@TxStateBaseball) March 18, 2023

Mora with an RBI single to cut the deficit to a run!#EatEmUp #SlamMarcos x @chasemora11 pic.twitter.com/syBUGIBrSY

— Texas State Baseball (@TxStateBaseball) March 18, 2023

 
On the second pitch of the next half inning, Johnson hit a home run to left center that put USM up by two.
 
Powell led off the eighth with a single through the right side. Both Gonzalez and Pena would just miss on chances to hit a game-tying homer.
 
Lewis would single with one out in the ninth. However, the next two batters would be retired to close out the series opener.
 
Game two of the series is scheduled for a 2:30 p.m. start time on Saturday.
 
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