SAN MARCOS, Texas – The bats were hot for Texas State (1-0) in the season opener Friday night at Bobcat Ballpark as it scored 17 runs in the first three innings on the way to a 20-2 victory over Youngstown State (0-1). The 20 runs are the second most ever in a season opener behind the 28 tallied against Texas Southern in 2001.
 
A total of five home runs were hit on the night by the Bobcats. Cade Manning smacked a grand slam on his way to driving in five runs. Both Ian Collier and Aaron Lugo hit a solo shot apiece in their first at bats in a TXST uniform. Cameron Thompson hit a two-run homer and Samson Pugh smacked a solo home run in his first collegiate plate appearance.
 
Freshman Ryne Farber went 2-for-3 with two walks and scored twice in his collegiate debut while leading off for the Bobcats. Both Daylan Pena and Lugo scored thrice while Collier drove in three runs. Finishing with two RBI each were Davis Powell, Pena and Thompson.
 
On the mound, Austin Eaton (1-0) started and threw four shutout innings while giving up just one hit. The junior also struck out four while issuing four walks to earn the win.
 
Throwing an inning of relief was Dalton Buckingham, DJ Burke, Calen Graham, Nicholas Holbrook and Cameron O'Banan. Both Holbrook and O'Banan had two strikeouts each.
 
Chase Mora drove in the first run of the night with a single to center field in the first. After a balk brought in another run, Pena just missed hitting a homer to right center as he ended up with a two-run double. Manning would plate a run with a sacrifice fly and Lugo and Collier followed, respectively, with their solo round trippers.
 
Seven more runs came in the second with the highlight being Manning's grand slam. A two RBI single by Collier and a sac fly from Davis Powell capped off the scoring through the first three frames.
 
The Penguins got on the scoreboard in the sixth after beginning the frame with a three-base error and then scoring on a sac fly.
 
Pugh would homer to left in the seventh to make it a 17-run contest again. YSU got a run back in the next half inning on a solo shot courtesy of Teddy Ruffner.
 
After Kameron Weil beat out an infield single, Thompson blasted a 1-1 offering to left field for his first home run as a Bobcat and cap off the game's scoring.
 
The series continues on Saturday with a 2:30 p.m. first pitch at Bobcat Ballpark.
 
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