Jaguars Hand TXST 2 Losses Friday

TXST tied the game in the bottom of the third and even briefly snuck ahead 7-6 after four, but the visitors again equalized in the top of the fifth.

SAN MARCOS, Texas – The Texas State baseball team dropped two Sun Belt Conference games to South Alabama Friday night at Bobcat Ballpark.

The Bobcats fell to 20-18-1 on the year and 8-9 in SBC action, while the Jaguars improved to 24-13 overall and 12-4 in league play.

Junior Jaylen Hubbard led TXST at the plate with a 4-for-8 day. Classmate Ryan Newman and true freshman Dalton Shuffield hit back-to-back home runs in the second game of the day. Newman also scored three runs total.

Texas State will look to avoid being swept by USA for the third-straight year at 12:30 p.m. April 22

SOUTH ALABAMA 10, TEXAS STATE 1

The Jaguars used a six-run third inning to take control of the game, and they never looked back. They also received a dominant effort on the mound from Tyler Carr, who landed one out shy of tossing a no-hitter.

Carr struck out six and walked three in the complete-game effort. He needed 109 pitches on the day, and the lone hit he conceded was an RBI double to senior Luke Sherley in the bottom of the ninth. The hit plated junior Jacob Almendarez, who reached on a walk earlier in the frame.

Dylan Hardy, Brendan Donovan and Carter Perkins all had two hits and two runs scored for USA. Travis Swaggerty and Paul Russo both drove in a pair of runs, and Wells Davis scored twice.

Sophomore Nicholas Fraze (4-3) suffered the loss after allowing eight runs on eight hits across the first 4.1 innings. He struck out five and walked three. Junior Seth Jordan threw the remaining 4.2 innings and gave up just two runs on one hit.

SOUTH ALABAMA 11, TEXAS STATE 10

The Bobcats put up a season-high-tying 16 hits, but it wasn’t enough as South Alabama was able to squeak by to complete the sweep and earn the series victory.

The Jaguars initially plated three runs in the first inning, and Texas State answered with four runs in the bottom of the second.

The maroon and gold was unable to consolidate the lead change, however, as USA scored three more in the top of the third to pull ahead 6-4.

TXST tied the game in the bottom of the third and even briefly snuck ahead 7-6 after four, but the visitors again equalized in the top of the fifth.

The back-to-back homers from Newman and Shuffield occurred in the bottom of the seventh and gave Texas State a 9-7 lead, but South Alabama erupted for four in the top of the eighth to take the lead for good.

Senior Derek Scheible nearly walked off the night with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, but his blast to left field was robbed at the wall by Hardy.

Hubbard tied his career high with four hits, and he also had an RBI. Newman, Shuffield and seniors Jared Huber and Mickey Scott all had two hits. Newman had two RBIs and three runs scored, while the other three combined for four RBIs and four runs scored. Junior Jonathan Ortega went 2-for-4 and scored twice.

Junior Connor Reich took a no-decision after allowing seven runs on 10 hits in 6.1 innings. He struck out seven and walked one. Classmate Anthony Pagano allowed one run on one hit in an inning, but he also struck out three.

Junior Kyle Bradford (1-1) suffered his first loss after he was unable to register an out. He walked two, and both would later score on hits credited to junior Braden Pearson. Junior Brayden Theriot tossed a clean ninth.

USA starter Jared Proctor was tagged for six runs on seven hits in just 3.0 innings. He only struck out one and walked two.

Four other relievers were needed, and it was Nick DeSantis (2-0) who was credited with the win. He pitched 2.2 innings and gave up three runs on six hits. Zach Greene earned his fourth save after not giving up a run in the final 1.1 frames.

Perkins went 4-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored to lead the Jaguars. Swaggerty, Davis and Michael Sandle all had a pair of hits. Hunter Stokes drove in three runs, and Brendan Donovan scored twice.

Score by Innings                    R  H  E

———————————————

South Alabama……. 106 012 000 – 10  9  0

Texas State……… 000 000 001 –  1  1  3

———————————————

Win – Carr, T. (7-2). Loss – Fraze, N. (4-3). Save – None.

Score by Innings                    R  H  E

———————————————

South Alabama……. 303 010 040 – 11 14  2

Texas State……… 042 100 210 – 10 16  2

———————————————

Win – DeSantis, N. (2-0). Loss – Bradford, K. (1-1). Save – Greene, Z. (4).