For game two in the second match-up between Houston Baptist University and Texas State, the baseball team took a 4-0 win over the Huskies in San Marcos Monday night. With Monday's win, it's the second time since a mid-March losing skid that the the Cats have taken five straight winning decisions.
As has been the case for the last two games, the Cats got off to a slow start, being held to only three hits for the first four innings against HBU starter Tristan Gaines. Garret Carruth started on the bump for Bobcat head coach Ty Harrington, pitching six complete innings and giving up only two hits. The junior transfer retired the first two batters he faced and then gave up his only two hits, finally calming his nerves and getting a much needed third out, a called strike three on the Huskie's first baseman Beau Warren. Carruth's record now expands to 3-1. Tyler Brundridge and Michael Russo came in to combine for 3 innings of work to close the game in the eighth and ninth.
Scores opened up in the fifth, set up with walks to Bobcat shortstop Jason Martinson and junior outfielder Laurn Randall. Cody Gambill, who earned the start in right field, drove Martinson in from second after his single shot up the middle nearly took Gaines' head with it. Randall's always aggressive base running and all-out style of play landed him on third base with the play, and Paul Goldschmidt drove him in on a sharp single to left with the first pitch the slugger saw. The lead stayed at 2-0 until Goldschmidt scored on a Spenser Dennis sac fly with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning.
By the end of the seventh, the Huskies defense had already come unravelled behind the starter Gaines. The frustration was obvious on the Huskies' right hander, and he was replaced by right handed side-arm pitcher Brian Revels. Revels got two quick outs to start, seeming to deny his 10.95 ERA in 9 1/3 innings, but a single by Martinson spelled the beginning of the end for HBU. The Bobcat short stop stole second and reached third when the ball skipped into center field on the throw. Randall hit a bouncing ball to third base, but the throw was off the bag, sending Martinson home and Randall to second base.
Randall was the tenth runner stranded on the bags for the evening by Texas State, an issue the Cats have had all season. With so many runners left on base at the end of innings, combined with a slow moving offense as of late, head coach Ty Harrington might be concerned. However his boys are still in good command of the Southland's first-place spot they took from Southeastern Louisiana last week. What's more, since a rough week in mid March, these same Bobcats have been on a tear, winning 14 of their last 16. And Bobcat fans can worry less knowing that the bats have posted 142 runs versus the opponents' 61 during this span.
Huskies starter Tristan Gaines had an excellent night on the mound, and for HBU to lose 18-4 last week in San Marcos, Gaines did a fantastic job of keeping his team in this game. But poor defense behind him and the lack of hitting (or, excellent Bobcat pitching) was enough to spell doom for the visitors. Gaines' breaking pitches, and especially his ability to change the eye level of the hitters, proved to be his strong point in the game.
The Cats come out Wednesday night against Prairie View A&M for a 6:30 first pitch, the second meeting between the two this season. The San Marcos favorites rolled over the Panthers 33-3 on March 24, and former Panther Spencer Dennis set a new Texas State record with most hits in a game against his old team, going 7-for-8; The NCAA D-I record is 9-for-9. Live play-by-play on TxStateBobcats.com goes online at 6:15 for the pre-game show.
As has been the case for the last two games, the Cats got off to a slow start, being held to only three hits for the first four innings against HBU starter Tristan Gaines. Garret Carruth started on the bump for Bobcat head coach Ty Harrington, pitching six complete innings and giving up only two hits. The junior transfer retired the first two batters he faced and then gave up his only two hits, finally calming his nerves and getting a much needed third out, a called strike three on the Huskie's first baseman Beau Warren. Carruth's record now expands to 3-1. Tyler Brundridge and Michael Russo came in to combine for 3 innings of work to close the game in the eighth and ninth.
Scores opened up in the fifth, set up with walks to Bobcat shortstop Jason Martinson and junior outfielder Laurn Randall. Cody Gambill, who earned the start in right field, drove Martinson in from second after his single shot up the middle nearly took Gaines' head with it. Randall's always aggressive base running and all-out style of play landed him on third base with the play, and Paul Goldschmidt drove him in on a sharp single to left with the first pitch the slugger saw. The lead stayed at 2-0 until Goldschmidt scored on a Spenser Dennis sac fly with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning.
By the end of the seventh, the Huskies defense had already come unravelled behind the starter Gaines. The frustration was obvious on the Huskies' right hander, and he was replaced by right handed side-arm pitcher Brian Revels. Revels got two quick outs to start, seeming to deny his 10.95 ERA in 9 1/3 innings, but a single by Martinson spelled the beginning of the end for HBU. The Bobcat short stop stole second and reached third when the ball skipped into center field on the throw. Randall hit a bouncing ball to third base, but the throw was off the bag, sending Martinson home and Randall to second base.
Randall was the tenth runner stranded on the bags for the evening by Texas State, an issue the Cats have had all season. With so many runners left on base at the end of innings, combined with a slow moving offense as of late, head coach Ty Harrington might be concerned. However his boys are still in good command of the Southland's first-place spot they took from Southeastern Louisiana last week. What's more, since a rough week in mid March, these same Bobcats have been on a tear, winning 14 of their last 16. And Bobcat fans can worry less knowing that the bats have posted 142 runs versus the opponents' 61 during this span.
Huskies starter Tristan Gaines had an excellent night on the mound, and for HBU to lose 18-4 last week in San Marcos, Gaines did a fantastic job of keeping his team in this game. But poor defense behind him and the lack of hitting (or, excellent Bobcat pitching) was enough to spell doom for the visitors. Gaines' breaking pitches, and especially his ability to change the eye level of the hitters, proved to be his strong point in the game.
The Cats come out Wednesday night against Prairie View A&M for a 6:30 first pitch, the second meeting between the two this season. The San Marcos favorites rolled over the Panthers 33-3 on March 24, and former Panther Spencer Dennis set a new Texas State record with most hits in a game against his old team, going 7-for-8; The NCAA D-I record is 9-for-9. Live play-by-play on TxStateBobcats.com goes online at 6:15 for the pre-game show.
Mason Robinson- KTSW Sports Staff Writer
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