HOUSTON – Playing in his hometown for the first time in his collegiate career,
Chase Mora ended Friday's opening game of the Astros Foundation College Classic with a blast. The Tomball, Texas native hit a two-run walk-off home run in the 10th inning as Texas State claimed an 8-7 victory over Houston Friday morning from Minute Maid Park.
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"I couldn't be more proud of this team and their fight to keep coming back. I thought Eaton was really good after the first and we battled on the mound. Pena stepped up off the bench to tie it and Mora finished the game," said head coach
Steven Trout. "Just an overall win against a really good team. Hopefully we can carry this momentum into tomorrow!
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With the victory, the Bobcats have now won three straight and are 6-3 on the season while the Cougars have lost three in-a-row to fall to 6-3.
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Both
Alec Patino and Mora were 3-for-5 at the plate. Patino had three singles and scored twice while Mora finished a triple shy of the cycle, drove in four runs and scored once.
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Finishing with an RBI apiece were
Aaron Lugo,
Daylan Pena and
August Ramirez. Stealing his team leading second base of the season was
Ryne Farber, who finished with a base knock and scored once.
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Jonathan Martinez (1-0) picked up the win as he worked the extra-frame in which he struck out a UH batter. Taking the loss was Justin Murray after surrendering three runs on four hits in an inning of action.
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Starting on the mound for TXST was
Austin Eaton, who recorded five strikeouts in five innings while giving up two runs. Both
Drayton Brown and
Rhett McCaffety tossed two innings out of the bullpen each.
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The Cougars jumped out to an early advantage in the first with a two RBI single down the first baseline by Tre Jones.
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In the fourth, Patino led off by beating out an infield single as it was slowed down by hitting the mound. The Ohio transfer later moved into scoring position as Ramirez grounded out to the first baseman. After
Cameron Thompson worked a walk, Mora laced a doubled down the third baseline to put the Bobcats on the board and cut the deficit to 2-1.
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Rashawn Galloway singled to left with one gone in the sixth. Two batters later after a pitching change, Thompson was plunked. A 1-0 offering to Mora was sent to right field for an RBI single to tie the game. The very next pitch went through the left side for an RBI single off the bat of Lugo to put the Bobcats in the lead.
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Texas State extended its advantage to 5-2 after the seventh as Farber scored on a wild pitch and Patino crossed the plate as Ramirez hit a deep sacrifice fly to right center.
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Jones led off the next half inning with a solo homer to right field to make it a two-run lead. The Cougars scored three more times in the frame to go back ahead 6-5.
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Called on to pinch hit to leadoff the ninth, Pena sent an 0-1 offering over the yellow line in left center for a solo home run to tie the game. The Bobcats nearly walked it off two batters later when Patino singled to center but Farber was thrown out the plate.
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Using the MLB extra-innings tiebreaker rule saw the last batter to be put out the previous inning placed at second base. A wild pitch moved Anthony Tulimero into scoring position and he would score on a sac fly to give the Cougars a one-run lead.
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With Thompson slated to be place on second I the bottom of the 10th,
Kameron Weil came on as a pinch runner. The senior's speed wouldn't be needed as Mora crushed the first pitch to him onto the concourse behind the Crawford Boxes for the walk-off homer.
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Next up for the Bobcats in the Astros Foundation College Classic is a meeting with 15th-ranked Texas on Saturday at 3 p.m.
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