SAN MARCOS, Texas – The bats for Texas State (25-12) were kept quiet for most of the game on Tuesday by HCU (16-20). A timely first collegiate home run from Tanner Carson in the seventh at Irvine-Rasmussen Ballpark would be the difference as the Bobcats won 4-3.
 
Texas State finished with five hits, four of which were for extra bases. Recording a base knock apiece was Ethan Farris, Chase Mora, Clayton Namken, Manny Salas and Carson. Mora drove in two runs and Carson and Salas plated one apiece.
 
Alizaeh Gutierrez (2-0) picked up the win after throwing an inning of relief with two punch outs. Kyle Froehlich retired the Huskies in order in the ninth to earn his first save of the season. Take the loss was Kean Elarton (0-3) after giving up Carson's go-ahead round tripper.
 
Getting the start and striking out three was Titan Targac. The freshman went 4.0 innings while giving up two runs on three walks and two hits. Dylan Kerbow tossed two shutout frames out of the bullpen with two strikeouts and Sam Hall threw a scoreless inning.
 
HCU struck its first time at the plate when Jeremy Rader blasted a two-run homer.
 
In the next half inning, Jackson Cotton led off by drawing a walk and then stole second. He would come home when Salas doubled to right center to cut the deficit in half.
 
Namken was walked with one gone in the second. Mora came up and sent a 3-2 offering 402 feet over the left centerfield wall for his seventh home run of the season and put Texas State in front 3-2.
 
The Huskies threatened to tie and possibly retake the lead in the fifth when they were able to load the bases after two walks and a hit by pitch. Kerbow was able to induce an inning-ending double play to escape the jam unscathed.
 
In the top of the seventh, Graham Laxon was walked with two outs. The very next pitch saw Preston Curtis pop it up down the right field line. The trajectory of the ball was heading into foul territory but the wind blew it just enough to land in fair territory for a base knock. Laxon was off on the crack of the bat and was able to score to tie the game at 3-3.
 
Carson led off the bottom of the frame and barreled up a 2-2 offering. The line drive shot to left center quickly flew over the wall for the freshman's first career homer and put the Bobcats back in front.
 
Next up for Texas State is a weekend series on the road at Southern Miss with the series opener set for Friday at 6 p.m.
 
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