SAN MARCOS, Texas – For the first time in three weeks, Texas State is back home for a weekend series when it welcomes ULM to Bobcat Ballpark. Friday's game is scheduled for a 1 p.m. first pitch due to inclement weather later that night. Saturday's and Sunday's contests slated for 2:30 p.m. and 1 p.m. start times, respectively.
Both teams enter the game 21-24 on the season. The Bobcats are 9-12 in the Sun Belt Conference while the Warhawks come in with a 7-14 mark.
Fans can watch all three games on ESPN+ and live stats will also be available.
PROBABLY STARTING PITCHERS
Friday: TXST LHP Alex Valentin (4-4) vs. ULM RHP Zach Shaw (3-0)
Saturday: TXST LHP Jesus Tovar (2-5) vs. ULM LHP Brennan Eager (4-2)
Sunday: TXST RHP Austi Eaton (2-2) vs. ULM TBD
ABOUT TEXAS STATE
Texas State spent the past two weekends on the road in Alabama with series against South Alabama and Troy. The Bobcats dropped each series but did leave with a win each time. At home this season, TXST is 12-12 with a 5-4 mark in Sun Belt games.
Chase Mora enters leading the team with a .297 batting average, 31 RBI and seven home runs. Both he and Ryne Farber have scored 32 runs and drawn 20 walks to pace the squad. Farber sports a .289 average with 11 doubles, 27 RBI, 12 stolen bases and three round trippers. Hitting four long balls apiece has been Ian Collier (18 RBI), Coy DeFury (.294 AVG, 13 RBI), Austin Eaton (13 RBI) and Zachary Gingrich (15 RBI).
Friday will see Alex Valentin take the mound where the lefty sports a 4-4 record, 4.89 ERA and 48 strikeouts in 57.0 innings. Jesus Tovar (2-5, 48 K) is slated to go on Saturday. Returning to the rotation on Sunday will be Austin Eaton. The right-hander has a 2-2 record, 5.93 ERA and 20 strikeouts over 27.1 innings.
Matthew Tippie has come out of the bullpen a staff-high 20 times and has a 2-0 record with one save, 3.34 ERA and staff-high 56 strikeouts in 35.0 innings Carson Laws has earned seven saves while going 3-1 with 44 strikeouts in 30.2 innings.
ABOUT ULM
ULM comes to town on a three-game losing streak and have dropped five of its last seven. The Warhawks fell on Tuesday at home to Northwestern State and dropped the last two contests last weekend to Old Dominion. When playing on the road, ULM is 7-11 overall and 3-6 in conference play.
Isaiah Walker is hitting a team-high .345 with 36 runs, 28 RBI, 22 stolen bases, 12 doubles and four home runs. A team-high six homers have been hit by Henry Garcia, Jr., who also sports 38 RBI, 30 runs, 12 stolen bases and 10 doubles.
Scheduled to take the hill on Friday is Zach Shaw. The right-hander is 3-0 with a 6.50 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 36 innings. He will be making his first start of the season having previously come out of the bullpen 17 times. Brennan Eager is slated to start on Saturday and enters with a 4-2 record, 2.90 ERA and 36 punch outs over 40.1 innings in 10 starts. Sunday's starter is still to be decided.
Five of the team's 11 saves have been picked up by Josh Gregoire, who is 3-1 with a 1.21 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 29.2 innings out of the bullpen. Brandon Brewer (3-1, 5.65 ERA) has earned three saves.
SERIES VS. WARHAWKS
Texas State leads the all-time series 54-39. Last season, ULM won the series in Monroe as the Bobcats salvaged the series by taking the finale 13-11. Since joining the Sun Belt, TXST is 22-11 against the Warhawks.
When hosting ULM, Texas State is 29-17 all-time with the last meeting coming in 2023. That series saw the Bobcats win the first and third game of the series. The Bobcats haven't dropped a series at home to the Warhawks since 2004.
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