Texas State baseball (8-5) won the first game of its series against North Dakota State University (1-12) 8-7 at Bobcat Ballpark Friday night.
North Dakota State struck first in the top of the fourth inning when senior infielder Peter Brookshaw hit a RBI single to give the Bison a 1-0 lead. Shortly after, both senior infielder Druw Sackett and junior catcher Stephen Lund hit two-run home runs to bring the Bobcats’ deficit to five.
The Bobcats responded when sophomore infielder Ryan Leary hit a two-run home run to reduce the lead, but the Bison increased it again in the sixth inning with a home run from junior infielder James Dunlap to make it 7-2.
On the mound, the Bobcats pushed back against North Dakota State via junior relief pitcher Cameron Bush who posted three strikeouts over the fifth, sixth and seventh innings. 
Texas State broke out in the eighth inning with back-to-back-to-back home runs to tie the game up 7-7. Gonzalez started the team off with a three-run home run, directly followed by solo home runs from sophomore infielder Daylan Pena and junior designated hitter August Ramirez. Leary then hit a solo go-ahead homerun to give the Bobcats the lead for the first time in the game, 8-7.
“You go back-to-back-to-back, like, the momentum’s there,” Leary said. “Going into all these [at-bats] tonight, I think our approaches were a lot better. You know, we weren’t striking out as much. We weren’t swinging and missing as much.”
Overall, the bullpen had a successful game when it came to strikeouts, posting 15. Senior pitcher Triston Dixon closed the game out in the ninth inning, but credited with the win is sophomore pitcher Dylan Kerbow, who recorded his first win as a Bobcat.
“Triston Dixon’s one of the best in the country, that’s why he’s back there,” head coach Steven Trout said. “I was really proud of Dylan Kerbow, he hadn’t gotten his opportunity all yet and then, you know, I challenged him.”
The Bobcats will prepare to continue the series against North Dakota State this Saturday at Bobcat Ballpark. 
Opening pitch is scheduled to be thrown at 2:30 p.m. March 11 at Bobcat Ballpark in San Marcos.