Trojans Complete Sweep Over Bobcats In Alabama

Texas State will next be in action on the road for a 6:35 p.m. game April 25 at Baylor.

TROY, Ala. – The Texas State baseball team lost a pair of games to close out a weekend series against Troy Saturday at Riddle-Pace Field.

The Bobcats (22-19, 9-9 SBC) dropped the first game of the doubleheader 4-3 in 11 innings before losing the series finale 6-3. Troy (22-17, 9-9 SBC) earned its first Sun Belt Conference series victory since the first weekend of league play March 17-19, and the Trojans also collected their first series sweep of the year.

Junior Dylan Paul led the maroon and gold with four hits on the day. He also scored two runs. Sophomore Felipe Rodriguez had a team-best four RBIs.

Texas State will next be in action on the road for a 6:35 p.m. game April 25 at Baylor.

TROY 4, TEXAS STATE 3 (11 innings)

The Bobcats were able to battle into a 3-2 lead just two outs shy of earning a win, but the Trojans scored in the bottom of the ninth and earned a walk-off win in the 11th to secure the series triumph.

Troy initially led after scoring in the opening frame, but Texas State was able to equalize in the top of the second on a RBI single from Paul.

The Trojans regained the lead in the home half of the frame, but TXST again tied the score at 2-2 in the top of the fifth on a sacrifice RBI from sophomore Jaylen Hubbard. The maroon and gold took the lead in the top of the eighth thanks to a RBI double from Felipe Rodriguez, but Troy tied the game in the bottom of the ninth and won in the bottom of the 11th on a throwing error. Texas State was unable to get a runner on base in either of the two extra frames.

This was the first extra-inning loss of the season for the Bobcats (4-1).

True freshman Nicholas Fraze picked up the sixth quality start in his last seven appearances after allowing just two runs on five hits across 6.0 innings. He struck out three and walked four to finish with a no-decision. Senior Joe Powell (1-1) suffered the loss but did not allow an earned run. He gave up two unearned tallies on six hits in 4.1 frames.

Paul finished 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, while junior Theodore Hoffman was 2-for-5.

Matt Sanders went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and one run for Troy. Jackson Cofer and Steven Whitaker both went 2-for-4 and combined to score three runs.

Marc Skinner (3-3) did not give up a base runner in the final 2.0 frames as he was awarded the victory. Daren Osby tossed the first 5.0 frames and left after allowing two runs on six hits. Corey Childress threw the next 2.2 frames and conceded one run on three hits. Lance Johnson logged 1.1 innings of work and only allowed one hit.

TROY 6, TEXAS STATE 3

Troy scored in the first inning for the third-straight game and was able to add two runs each in the third and fifth frames to complete the sweep. Texas State was only able to respond with a three-run home run from Rodriguez in the top of the ninth.

Junior Cam Baird (1-5) earned his first-weekend start on the mound and allowed four runs (two earned) on three hits in the first 2.2 innings. He struck out two and walked three. Junior Blake Walden allowed two runs on two hits across the next 1.2 frames, and sophomore Brayden Theriot logged 2.1 innings. He did not allow a run on two hits. Senior Quinn Atwood and sophomore Brandon Lewis also saw time on the mound.

Junior Luke Sherley and sophomore Jonathan Ortega both had two hits. Rodriguez blasted the first home run of his career to ensure the Bobcats would not be blanked.

No Trojan had multiple hits in the finale. Brandon Lockridge scored three runs. Trevor Davis finished with two RBIs.

Austin Crook (5-1) earned the win on the mound after shutting out Texas State across the first 6.0 frames. He only conceded three hits and struck out six. Skinner collected his ninth save after registering the final out of the game.

Score by Innings                       R  H  E

———————————————-

Texas State……… 010 010 010 00 –  3 10  2

Troy……………. 110 000 001 01 –  4 11  1

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Win – Skinner, M. (3-3). Loss – Powell, J. (1-1). Save – None.

Score by Innings                    R  H  E

——————————————-

Texas State……… 000 000 000 –  3  9  4

Troy……………. 202 020 00X –  6  7  1

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Win – Crook, A. (5-1). Loss – Baird, C. (1-5). Save – Skinner, M. (9).