Aggies Blast Bobcats in Top 25 Slugfest

The #25 Texas State Bobcat Baseball team notched a two-run home run shot in the top of the first inning, but saw the lead vanish as the #15 Texas A&M Aggies put up 10 runs in the first three innings to overtake the Cats 13-4 on a humid Tuesday evening.

The Bobcats rode into College Station, TX, riding high off of their thrilling bottom of the 9^th inning comeback win to clinch the Southland Conference regular season championship against Nicholls State this past Sunday. With the momentum of that game, one could only expect that the Cats would continue to impress fans and voters that the Bobcats are for real.

It was evident the game would be a home run fest when Keith Prestridge hit a two-run home run to start the game off in the top of the 1^st inning. Fist pumps for all Bobcat fans alike as the Aggie crowd stared on searching for a new heckle to get their minds off the towering home run shot to right center.

Although the Aggie fans were down, the Aggie players answered big loading the bases in the bottom of the first when designated hitter Joe Paterson hit a blast over the left field wall to get a grand slam. It was dry bread salami time for the home team and they never gave a crumb of left over for Texas State, as the sun seemed to set along with the Cats' chances for a victory.

Following the Aggies four-run 1^st inning, three runs were put up in the 2^nd and three more were put up in the 3^rd to give Texas A&M a demanding lead going into the 4^th, 10-3.

The somewhat un-characteristically bad pitching from Garret Carruth and Tyler Brundrigde really threw the Cats for a loop in the beginning of the game leaving a lot of make-up work for their bats. Although one would think the Bobcats line up is good enough for the task, starting Aggie pitcher Clayton Ehlert pitched a solid six innings striking out 6 batters while frustrating the Cats’ bats leaving seven runners stranded on bags throughout the rest of the game.

The six game win streak was snapped for Texas State but with the last series coming up against Southland foe the UT-Arlington Mavericks this weekend, Bobcat fans are sure to see Coach Harrington’s ball club going into the Southland Conference tournament with a 40-win regular season.

The Cats take the field this Thursday with the first pitch set for 6:30 p.m. You can catch all the updates by going to txstatebobcats.com.

- James McNeal, KTSW Sports Staff Writer