Texas State University welcomed the University of Michigan, University of Washington, and the Air Force Academy to San Marcos to play in the Texas State Invitational. The weather could not have been better this weekend and neither could the baseball. The weekend featured offensive explosions, defensive battles, pitching dominance, and even a tie!
Overall Weekend Records: Michigan (1-2-1), Washington (2-1-1), Air Force (1-2), Texas State (2-1)
Texas State Game 1: Texas State 8, Michigan 7 (10 innings)
The first few innings of the 2014 season did not go as planned for the Bobcats, unless you think they were planning on erasing a 5-0 deficit to win in walk-off fashion. In front of a nearly full Bobcat Ballpark, the Bobcats found themselves down 5-0 after 2 innings. Starting pitcher Lucas Humpal had a hard time finding his groove, as did the defense, which committed 4 errors in the game.
The Bobcat fans were growing impatient, as the team struggled offensively and defensively early, but for those who stuck around they soon found out that baseball games aren’t won in the first two innings. Texas State’s bats woke up and the pitching and defense settled in and next thing you knew it was 7-7 after nine innings. In the 10th, newcomer David Paiz got his chance to deliver for the Bobcats and deliver he did, driving in Cody Lovejoy to give Texas State the walk-off victory.
The Bobcats were paced by Lovejoy’s 3 hits and Garrett Mattlage’s (Jr. SS) 2 hits and 3 RBIs. Hunter Lemke (Sr. Closer) got the win for the Bobcats, pitching scoreless 9th and 10th innings.
Box Score
Texas State Game 2: Texas State 1, Washington 6
In the 2nd game of the 2014 campaign, 1,954 fans watched as Jr. Taylor Black took the mound for the Bobcats and 8.1 innings later he left the mound to a standing ovation having put together a very solid start for Texas State. He struck out 8 and allowed only three runs, but the effort came up short as a late inning push by the Huskies added some insurance in a game where the Bobcats had a hard time manufacturing runs.
Offensively Texas State strung together 6 hits, but only one that produced the lone run on the day, a solo home run by Tyler Pearson (Sr. C).
Box Score
Texas State Game 3: Texas State 6, Air Force 0
In front of another good crowd at Bobcat Ballpark, nearly 2,000 people watched as the Bobcats had their second great effort from a starting pitcher in as many days.
Austen Williams (Junior P) pitched a gem in his first outing of the year, going 7.2 innings allowing only one hit and striking out 8 Falcons in front of an impressive number of professional scouts. The defense had a few errors, but Williams was able to pitch his way out of every inning.
This time the Bobcats bats came to the park as well, primarily in the 5-run 6th inning, when Tanner Hill (So. 1b) hit an absolute BOMB that drove in three runs. The offense had 7 timely hits on the afternoon, with Granger Studdard (Fr. OF) and Cody Lovejoy (Jr. DH) driving in 1 and 2 runs, respectively.
Box Score
Bobcat Stat Leaders:
Average:
- David Paiz .545
- Granger Studdard .444
- Tyler Pearson .417
Home Runs:
- Tyler Pearson, Tanner Hill 1
RBIs:
- Tanner Hill, Cody Lovejoy, Garrett Mattlage 3
Wins:
- Hunter Lemke, Austen Williams 1
ERA (Starters):
- Austen Williams 0.00
- Taylor Black 3.24
- Lucas Humpal 9.84
Photos of the weekend:
-
Tanner Hill stretches to secure put out against AF.
Coach Harrington and Air Force’s coach honor America during the national anthem
Players congratulate Granger Studdard on his first collegiate RBI.
Pitcher Austen Williams
Air Foce and Texas State players joined to honor America
Coach Harrington talks to team before taking the field against Michigan
Coach Harrington vs. Michigan
Colby Targun takes a hack against Michigan
Taylor “Moustache” Bailey makes a play at second against Washington