SAN MARCOS, Texas – Texas State (12-6, 1-1 Sun Belt) scored all of its runs in the first two innings and got another dominant pitching performance from Levi Wells to claim a 3-2 win over 25th-ranked Southern Miss (12-6, 1-1 Sun Belt) to even the series.
 
"What a really good baseball game. Saw a little bit of everything in the game," said head coach Steven Trout. "Levi Wells was really good like he normally is. Jack Stroud came and closed it down, and then Triston Dixon closed it out. That is three quality arms that we ran out there and gave us a good chance to win the ballgame."
 
"We responded there in the first with back-to-back-to-back doubles. We played some offense there in the one inning and found a way to keep scoring. We wanted a few more but happy to be leaving the field with a victory," said Trout.
 
Wells (4-0) recorded his third quality start of the season as he allowed just two runs in six innings. The junior right-hander also tied his career-high of 10 strikeouts. Triston Dixon recorded the final out of the game on one pitch to earn his fourth save of the season. Suffering the loss was Matthew Adams (2-1) after allowing three runs on seven hits over five innings.
 
Also seeing action out of the Bobcats' bullpen was Jack Stroud. The lefty tossed 2.2 scoreless innings with a strikeout and three hits allowed.
 
Both Jose Gonzalez and Peyton Lewis had two hits on the afternoon. Driving in a run apiece was Chase Mora, August Ramirez and Kameron Weil.
 
Two singles began the game for the Golden Eagles. A successful double steal that saw Matthew Etzel slide into home for the first run of the game.
 
With two outs in the bottom of the inning, Gonzalez hit a double to left field. Ramirez followed by getting his barrel on a 1-2 offering that nearly left the yard. Right fielder Reece Ewing was leapt and was able to get his glove on the ball to knock it down to the turf for an RBI double. Mora made it three consecutive doubles for TXST that plate the second run of the frame to give the Bobcats' their first lead of the series.

Tie the game on Ramirez's RBI double!#EatEmUp #SlamMarcos x @AugustRamirez2 pic.twitter.com/NZseEbjpQP

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

Now in the lead with our 3rd consecutive double, this time coming from Mora!#EatEmUp #SlamMarcos x @chasemora11 pic.twitter.com/1dxk9dfPla

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

 
After Cade Manning led off the third with a walk, Lewis beat USM's shift with a bunt single towards third base. The bases would be loaded when Ben McClain was hit by a pitch. Weil sent the first pitch he saw deep enough to left center for Manning to tag up and score to increase the advantage to 3-1.
 
The Golden Eagles would get a run back in the fourth on an RBI single from Danny Lynch to make it a one-run contest.
 
USM would leave two runners in scoring position in the sixth and another in the seventh. With a runner on first and one out in the ninth, Gabe Lacy hit a shot down the third baseline that would have been a double if not for a leaping grab by Ryder Hernandez.
 
Etzel followed with a single to left and he would advance to second on the throw to third to put the go-ahead runs in scoring position. Dixon was called upon and Dustin Dickerson sent the first pitch to him to left center that was caught by McClain to end the game.
 
The series finale takes place on Sunday with a 1 p.m. first pitch from Bobcat Ballpark.
 
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