Strong Pitching Efforts Propel TXST Past Bulldogs
Texas State sweeps Alabama A&M to creep above the .500 mark for the first time this season.
SAN MARCOS, Texas – The Texas State baseball team won both games of a twinbill to earn a weekend sweep over Alabama A&M Sunday afternoon at Bobcat Ballpark.
The Bobcats (9-7) defeated the Bulldogs (4-14) 8-3 in the opener before run-ruling the visitors 10-0 in the finale.
Pitching led the day for Texas State as both starters went a career-long 7.0 innings and earned their second-straight victories on the mound. Sophomore Wes Engle struck out a career-high seven batters, conceded just three hits and only gave up one unearned run. True freshman Nicholas Fraze one-upped Engle by throwing a one-hitter in his seven innings of work. He also did not allow a run.
Overall, TXST finished the day with 13 strikeouts to just two walks. At the plate, the Bobcats drew 17 walks and struck out just seven times across the two games.
Texas State will now move into the final stretch of its 13-game homestand, beginning with a midweek tilt against Rice at 6 p.m. March 15. The Bobcats will then open Sun Belt Conference action March 17-19 against defending national champion Coastal Carolina before welcoming Texas into Bobcat Ballpark at 6 p.m. March 21.
TEXAS STATE 8, ALABAMA A&M 3
Texas State took a 2-0 lead after the first frame and never looked back to clinch the series victory. The Bulldogs were able to cut the deficit in half in the second, but they did not score again until the ninth when TXST had already built an 8-1 advantage.
Junior Theodore Hoffman and sophomores Ryan Newman, Jaylen Hubbard and Felipe Rodriguez all had a pair of hits. Newman added two RBIs and two runs scored, while Hubbard drove in three and scored once. Junior Dylan Paul also drove home two teammates, and classmate Derek Scheible scored twice.
On top of Engle’s efforts on the mound, sophomore Brayden Theriot was able to work 2.0 innings. He allowed two runs on four hits while striking out four.
Blaine Milam (2-2) lasted 6.0 innings for the Bulldogs in the losing effort. He gave up five runs on seven hits while walking five and striking out just two. Dameyune Mayhand allowed three runs in just 0.1 innings, while Brandon Marsonek did not concede a run in the final 1.2 frames.
Carson McGregory had three of AAMU’s seven hits. He also scored twice.
TEXAS STATE 10, ALABAMA A&M 0 (8 innings)
TXST was no-hit through the first 4.1 innings, but the bats erupted in the fifth and the maroon and gold went on to complete the series sweep with a run-rule performance.
Sophomore Jacob Almendarez broke up the no-hitter in the bottom of the fifth, and Texas State went on to plate six runs in the frame. The home club added two in the sixth and one each in the seventh and eighth to halt play.
Almendarez was the only player with multiple hits, as he finished 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Sophomore Jonathan Ortega and juniors Luke Sherley and Jared Huber all scored twice. Huber and Sherley went a combined 0-for-1 at the plate, but the duo drew seven walks. Sherley’s four free passes were a career high.
Fraze and true freshman Broc Bosse combined to allow just two hits in the game. Bosse pitched the top of the eighth and did not concede any runs.
Alabama A&M’s two hits came from Cornelious Woods and Pierre Brewton.
Fernando Diaz, Jr. (0-3) took the loss after allowing six runs on five hits in 5.0 innings. Casey Warner, Franklin Banks II and Marsonek tossed the final 2.2 innings and combined to allow four runs on three hits.
This was the first shutout of the season for the Bobcats.
TEXAS STATE COACH TY HARRINGTON
Opening Statement…
“Wes Engle was really good today. That was the best pitching performance of his career at Texas State. He had really dominant stuff, so I was pleased with his performance. Offensively in the first game, we were good in some moments. We squared up on some balls and did some good things. We did what we had to do. In the second game, it took us awhile to get our motor going. We were no-hit through 4 1/3 innings, but we were able to string together a big inning in the fifth. I was pleased with the two-out performance when we got into that inning. We were a little flat and not responding well. (Fernando Diaz, Jr.) threw well, to be honest. (Nicholas) Fraze was good. He threw his best outing of the year. He didn’t create any bad innings for himself. We also played good defense behind both guys today.”
On finishing the weekend with a 1.38 team ERA…
“That was real important this weekend because that’s something we haven’t done so well with this season. We needed to gain some momentum and gain some confidence on the mound.”
On facing Rice, Coastal Carolina and Texas in the next five games…
“We are facing three-straight teams who have won national championships. It’s rare that you have the opportunity to play teams of this caliber consecutively like this. It starts to get a little more real. We need to respond in practice the next couple of days to get prepared for that. Now it’s conference play, as well. That is another part of the season. Hopefully, we prepare and come out ready to go.”
Score by Innings R H E
——————————————-
Alabama A&M……… 010 000 002 – 3 7 0
Texas State……… 200 010 50X – 8 10 2
——————————————-
Win – Engle, W. (2-0). Loss – B Milam (2-2). Save – None.
Score by Innings R H E
——————————————
Alabama A&M……… 000 000 00 – 0 2 4
Texas State……… 000 062 11 – 10 8 0
——————————————
Win – Fraze, N. (2-1). Loss – F Diaz Jr (0-3). Save – None.
