PHOENIX – Three Texas State pitchers combined to shutout Grand Canyon 3-0 Saturday evening at GCU Ballpark to even the series. It is the first shutout for the Bobcats since Apr. 1, 2021 against UT Arlington and the first on the road since doing so at UC Santa Barbara on Mar. 9, 2018.
 
The win improves TXST to 7-3 on the while the Lopes are also now 7-3.
 
"You got to start with Nathan Medrano. A big time out and keeping them off balance. [Triston] Dixon came in after a tough night last night and had his stuff tonight, which is what we expect out of him," said head coach Steven Trout. "When you shut somebody out, credit goes to the pitching staff. The other key of it was how we played defense tonight. Some really good plays by Leary and great picks by Pena."
   
Nathan Medrano (1-1) earned his first win in a Texas State uniform after throwing six innings with three strikeouts. Austin Smith recorded the first two outs of the seventh and Triston Dixon went the final 2.1 frames, striking out three, to earn his second save of the season. The trio combined to allow eight, all of which came with two outs.
 
Of the Bobcats' six hits, two each came off the bat of Daylan Pena and August Ramirez. Both hit a home run while Pena plate two runs and Ramirez drove in one. Also recording a base knock on the night was Peyton Lewis and Ben McClain.
 
Lewis reached base via a single with one out in the fourth. Pena followed two batters later by smoking a 1-0 offering to left center for a double. The ball bounced off the wall just past the reach of the centerfielder, which allow the senior catcher to score from first for the first run of the game.
 
GCU threatened in the bottom of the frame when it got two runners into scoring position with two outs. Medrano was able to get Maxwell Andeel swinging on a 3-2 offering to end the threat.
   
Facing a 3-2 count with two gone in the seventh, Ramirez smacked the ball to right field that was caught in the bullpen by a fellow Bobcat for his third homer of the year.
   
Pena added an insurance run in the ninth when he hit a no doubter to left center to make it a 3-0 lead.
   
Dixon struck out the first two batters in the bottom of the inning before allowing a single. The right-hander walked Homer Bush, Jr. on a close 3-2 pitch to bring up the tying run. GCU's Tyler Wilson hit a deep fly to left center on the first pitch he saw from Dixon that was caught by Ben McClain to wrap up TXST's victory.
 
The three-game series wraps up on Sunday at 2 p.m. CT.
 
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