The Texas State baseball team topped the Rice Owls 6-2 Tuesday, March 6 at the Bobcat Ballpark before heading out on its first road-trip of the season to California.
The Bobcats improved to 7-4 on the season, while the Owls dropped to 5-7 overall.
“We are a better offensive team than we played,” Head coach Ty Harrington said. “We got some pieces that still need to be put together. They are putting the time and the work, and they will get better.”
The Bobcats took the first two runs of the game. In the first inning, Derek Scheible, senior right-fielder, had an unearned run and Luke Sherley, senior shortstop, crossed the plate in the second.
The Owls finally reached the board at the top of the third making the score 2-1.
The Bobcats responded with a run by Jaylen Hubbard, junior third-baseman, at the bottom of the third. The score held 3-1.
The Bobcats had a big fifth inning after sending the Owl’s first three batters back to dug out on a double play and a throw to first. Both balls were picked up by Jonathan Ortega, junior second baseman.
The Bobcats scored three runs at the bottom of the fifth, extending their lead to 6-1.
Both teams were unable to find the momentum to score until Rice scored the final point of the game in the ninth, making the final score 6-2.
Wes Engle, junior pitcher, started for the Bobcats and was awarded the win for the night. Engle pitched 5.0 innings with five hits, one earned run and four strikeouts. Engle threw out 85 pitches for the night.
“Probably one of the biggest keys of tonight’s win is Wes Engle,” Harrington said. “I was impressed with his poise on the mound and a lot of things he did tonight.”
The Bobcats utilized four other pitchers besides Engle. The four pitchers recorded a total of 3.3 innings, three hits, one earned run and seven strikeouts.
Overall, the Bobcats tallied six hits, one error and 11 strikeouts. The Owls totaled eight hits, two errors and six strikeouts.
Up next for the Bobcats is their first road-trip of the season. The Bobcats will travel to Isla Vista, California to compete in a three-game series March 9-11 against the University of California-Santa Barbara.