In a sport where it’s ignorant to predict the victor after just 20 minutes of play, the 702 in attendance Friday night at Bobcat Field couldn’t help but feel the victory early on. Texas State exploded out of the gates with a seven-run first inning, and fans watched their home team run-rule Central Arkansas for a 14-2 win.
The Central Arkansas Bears arrived in San Marcos on Friday to begin their 3-game series against the Southland Conference leader Texas State, unaware of what Coach Harrington and gang had up their sleeves. No, this wasn’t your ordinary routine of pulling a rabbit out of a hat. That’s simply amateur compared to what was witnessed on Friday. The magical theme of the day for game was simply this: Don’t Blink.
For starters, the Bobcats batted around their lineup and scored 7 runs off of 6 hits in only the first inning of play as previously mentioned. Blink in the second inning, and you missed the 3 more runs put up by the crew in Maroon and Gold.
The damage in the first inning was so overbearing that Reece Cross (0-3), the starter on the mound for the Bears, was relieved after just 2/3 of an inning pitched. Jonathan Houston took over the reins in the first inning, and while he only allowed two more runs through the next 3 innings, the 5th inning wasn’t so kind. A five-run 5th, led by home runs from Laurn Randell and Jeff McVaney, proved far too much as the Texas State lead vaulted from 9-0 to 14-0. Though Cross started the game, Jonathon Houston (0-1) was handed the loss.
On the flip side of the playing field, Carson Smith was the starter for the Bobcats. Smith went the distance, striking out 4 batters and only allowing 4 hits. The shutout remained intact through 5 innings, until Central Arkansas managed to score 2 runs in the 6th to avoid the always-dreaded “goose egg” in the runs column. Also encouraging was that the infield of Texas State proved very worthy and helpful for Smith after a rough three-error outing at Baylor on Tuesday. In innings 1, 3, and 4, the Bobcat defense showed why they’re the top fielding team in the Southland Conference as they turned 3 inning-ending double plays. With the win, Carson Smith (4-2) now finds himself in a very comfortable spot, acting as the solid Friday starter in the rotation.
Leading the way at the plate for the Bobcats was outfielder Laurn Randell. Randell, the Senior from Austin's McCallum HS, entered Friday night’s game with no triples and no home runs to his credit. After legging out, not one, but two triples, as well tallying his first bomb of the season in Friday’s outing, Randell quickly went from the consistent small ball hitter, to the big bat. He finished the night going 5-5, scoring twice, and driving home 3 runs. The outstanding play by Randell jacked his batting average from a respectable .303 to an eye-popping .346. In fact, Randell also had a chance to hit for the cycle. In the bottom of the 6th and with two outs, he blasted a liner into the outfield gap between center and right field. As Randell made his way to second base, which would have secured the cycle, he turned the gears up one more notch and slid safely into third, recording his second triple of the day.
Other Bobcats who got it done at the plate were Jeff McVaney and Andrew Stumph. McVaney ended the night going 3-4 with 5 rbi’s, including a 5th inning 3-run shot. He also scored 3 times. Catcher Andrew Stumph recorded a 2-run double in the first inning and finished the night with 3 RBI’s, as he went 2-4 at the plate.
For the Bears, the top 4 batters in the lineup were the ones who recorded the 4 lonesome hits. Clay Washington and Blake Roberts, who batted third and fourth respectively in the lineup, were each credited with an RBI. All this makes since however, as Blake Roberts is the team leader in home runs (4), RBI’s (24), and hits (36), and as Clay Washington extended his remarkable hitting streak to 11 games in a row.
With the loss, Central Arkansas’ record falls to 9-20 overall and 3-10 in Conference play. The Bobcats meanwhile, increase their record to 18-10 overall and 10-3 in the Southland.
Other Notes: The Bobcat victory ups Coach Ty Harrington’s all-time win total to 355. Laurn Randell is now tied with Jason Martinson for the second best batting average on the team (.346). Randell’s night at the plate marks as only the second time this season a Bobcat has managed 5 hits (Bret Atwood went 5-6 against Texas Tech on March 16th). Jeff McVaney has 3 HR’s in the month of April.
Tomorrow’s game will begin at 2pm. Michael Russo will be on the mound for the Bobcats and Dustin Ward will get the start for the Bears. The game will be aired on Stretch Internet at www.txstatebobcats.com.
Andrew Vizzone, KTSW Sports Staff Writer
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