SAN MARCOS, Texas – The 10-game homestand at Bobcat Ballpark for Texas State (15-6) came to a close Wednesday with a 13-7 victory over HCU (2-18) Wednesday night.
 
"I thought Peyton Zabel was really good. That was the best he has thrown in a Bobcat uniform. We are going to need that going forward. I thought Jonathan Martinez had a good performance there at the end" said head coach Steven Trout. "Offensively, we kept grinding and responding. We let them build some innings for us and then some big swings from Cade Manning, Jose Gonzalez and Chase Mora had another home run. Really good job of responding and keeping finding ways to score runs."
 
Earning the win was Otto Wofford (2-0) as he threw a scoreless inning out of the bullpen and struck out one. Jonathan Valdez (0-2) surrendered five runs on three hits in two innings to take the loss.
 
Peyton Zabel started on the mound had his best outing as a Bobcat. He struck out three and held the Huskies scoreless for four innings while only giving up two hits, both of them singles. Jonathan Martinez finished the game by striking out the side. Also throwing an inning out of the bullpen was Colby Diaz, Dylan Kerbow and Jack Stroud.
 
Finishing with three hits apiece was Jose Gonzalez, Cade Manning and Chase Mora. Gonzalez also drove in four runs and scored twice while Manning and Mora had two RBI apiece along with two and one home runs, respectively.
 
Davis Powell went 2-for-4 with two RBI, two runs and a double. Kameron Weil also plated two runs while drawing three walks.
 
In the second, Chase Mora led off with an infield single, followed by another single off the bat of Cade Manning and a walk drawn by Rashawn Galloway to load the bases. Baumann was able to strikeout the next two batters until Weil drew his second free pass the game to bring home the first run of the game. Davis Powell laced a single to center that plated two more runs to make it a 3-0 Bobcat advantage.
 
Weil would increase the lead four with an RBI double in the fourth.
 

Add to the lead on Weil's RBI double!#EatEmUp #SlamMarcos x @KameronWeil pic.twitter.com/9HB5LI7DiN

— Texas State Baseball (@TxStateBaseball) March 23, 2023

 
HCU got on the scoreboard in the fifth on a three-run homer from Parker Edwards. A two-run round tripper was hit by Reed Chumley in the next inning to put the visitors in front 5-4.
 
In the bottom of the frame, Ryan Leary led off by working a free pass and advanced to second when Kyle Atkinson laid down a sacrifice bunt. Two batters later, Powell was walked on four pitches. Gonzalez came up and hit a 3-2 offering to centerfield and just over the leaping glove of the Husky that brought home both runners. The senior hustled all the way around to slide in for his first triple of the season.
 

Back in the lead on Brother's 2 RBI triple!#EatEmUp #SlamMarcos x @JGonzalez0815 pic.twitter.com/O62Ldn5LyU

— Texas State Baseball (@TxStateBaseball) March 23, 2023

 
Gonzalez would come home two pitches later on a wild pitch as the Bobcats retook the lead 7-5.
 
Mora led off the seventh with a solo home run to left field for his ninth of the season. He is now one shy of tying Tyler Sibley's freshman record of 10 set in 2009. Manning made it back-to-back long balls with a blast to right center to put TXST ahead by four.
 

OUT OF HERE!!! Mora with a shot onto the @TXStateSoftball field for his 9th HR of the season!#EatEmUp #SlamMarcos x @chasemora11 pic.twitter.com/Lrw0JkAZnL

— Texas State Baseball (@TxStateBaseball) March 23, 2023

BACK-TO-BACK!!! Manning with a no doubter for his 3rd ?? of the season!#EatEmUp #SlamMarcos x @cade_manning pic.twitter.com/gFOIlmwavY

— Texas State Baseball (@TxStateBaseball) March 23, 2023

 
The Huskies quickly responded in the top of the eighth as Tyler LaRue hit a two-run pinch hit homer.
 
A walk by Weil and Powell doubling down the left field line began the bottom of the frame and saw HCU make a quick call to the bullpen. On the first pitch he saw, Gonzalez sent a hard-hit grounder through the right side of the drawn-in infield to bring home both runners.
 

Brother comes through with a 2 RBI single!#EatEmUp #SlamMarcos x @JGonzalez0815 pic.twitter.com/wa5k0l3MCr

— Texas State Baseball (@TxStateBaseball) March 23, 2023

 
Two wild pitches allowed the senior outfielder to get within 90 feet of scoring. He would come home on a groundout off the bat of Mora. Capping off the scoring was Manning with an opposite field shot to left field for his fourth home run of the season.
 

GOOD BYE ??!!! A 2 home run day for Manning!#EatEmUp #SlamMarcos x @cade_manning pic.twitter.com/Im1dOXUDeM

— Texas State Baseball (@TxStateBaseball) March 23, 2023

 
Next up for TXST is its first Sun Belt Conference road series. The Bobcats make the trip to Conway, South Carolina to take on Coastal Carolina beginning on Friday at 5 p.m. CT.
 
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