Early Deficit Too Much For Bobcats

by, JOSHUA FLANAGAN

ARLINGTON, Texas – The Bobcats were looking to take the series from UT Arlington on Friday, but fell into a 5-1 hole that proved too much to overcome. Texas State stormed back, though, with four runs in the middle innings, but a four-run eighth propelled UT Arlington to victory, 9-4, to even the series. The Bobcats fall to 29-26 on the season and 15-14 in the Sun Belt Conference.

Mickey Scott led the offense with the first three-hit day of his career, driving in an RBI while Derek Scheible showed off some power with two doubles for the first time in his career. But UT Arlington struck 16 hits to Texas State’s nine to win the game.

Anthony Pagano did account well for himself, though, striking out three and giving up nothing but two hits in a solid 3.1 innings of work. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t be enough for the Bobcats.

Texas State and UTA will conclude the series at 2 p.m. Saturday.

WHO STOOD OUT

Mickey Scott / Infield / Sophomore / San Angelo, Texas

The sophomore struck for three hits for the first time in his career, racking up three singles in his first three at bats of the night. To put with last night’s game-winning RBI single, Scott went through a stretch in which he was 4-for-4. He now has nine hits in the last five games.

Anthony Pagano / LHP / Freshman / Humble, Texas

Pagano threw the most pitches of all four Bobcat pitchers Friday night, finishing with 59 thrown. He struck three batters out and only gave up two hits without a walk or a hit by pitch in 12 batters faced over 3.1 innings. He did well in the longest outing of his young career.

SCORING RECAP

–       Bottom 1^st – A walk and a base hit put men at first and second. After that, an RBI single up the middle plated the first run of the game to put UT Arlington up, 1-0. Next, the Mavericks hit a double to deep left field for another run. (2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on base)

–       Bottom 3^rd – The Mavericks led off with a triple, and then a groundout plated the runner for a 3-0 UTA lead. (1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 left on base)

–       Top 4^th – Dylan Paul pelted a big two-out double to right field, and Mickey Scott drove him the rest of the way in with a base hit straight up the middle. (1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on base)

–       Bottom 4^th – Two singles and a double led to two runs for UT Arlington to put the Mavericks up, 5-1. (2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on base)

–       Top 5^th – Derek Scheible knocked his second double of the day and went to third base on a wild pitch. He scored from third on a strikeout wild pitch to give the Bobcats their second run of the game. Ryan Newman was able to reach on the wild pitch and went to second on another one. Tanner Hill drove him in from there with a base knock to right field. (2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on base)

–       Top 6^th – Scott knocked his third hit of the game to get on base and went to second on a groundout. Nick Perez sent a base hit to centerfield that brought in Scott and pulled the Bobcats within one, 5-4. (1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 left on base)

–       Bottom 8^th – Three consecutive singles loaded the bases for the Mavs, and a walk brought in a run. A base knock after that scored one more. Next, the second baseman for UT Arlington knocked a double off the wall for two more runs. (4 runs, 5 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on base)

NOTES

–       With doubles in the third and fifth inning, Derek Scheible registered his third multi-hit game of the season. It’s the first time in his career he has tallied two doubles in a game.

–       Knocking singles in the second and fourth innings, Mickey Scott also made it his third multi-hit game of the season. In the sixth inning, he struck his third hit for the first three-hit game of his career. He has nine hits in the last five games.

–       In the fifth inning, Ryan Newman reached base on a strikeout wild pitch, the first time he has done that in his young career.

–       The 3.1 innings for Anthony Pagano is his longest appearance of the season, and he threw the second most strikeouts of his first collegiate season.

–       Nick Perez drew two walks for the third time this season. He finished 1-for-2 with an RBI.

NEXT UP

The Bobcats and Mavericks will complete the series at 2 p.m. on Saturday to end the regular season. Texas State returns to San Marcos this week to host the Sun Belt Conference Championship Tournament Wednesday through Sunday with the conference’s Family Night, Home Run Derby and Awards Ceremony to take place Tuesday night.