The Texas State opened the 2018 Sun Belt Conference tournament with a 5-1 quarterfinals loss to the Troy Trojans.
With the loss, the Bobcats’ record falls to 28-27-1 on the season, placing the team in the losers bracket for the remainder of the Sun Belt Conference Championship.
The Bobcats started the afternoon strong, with their ace Nicholas Fraze, sophomore starting pitcher, taking the mound.
Fraze allowed just one run on five hits for the game, and recorded six strikeouts while only allowing one walk. Fraze would take the no decision, while Brayden Theriot, junior pitcher, would take the loss after allowing four runs and four hits in just over an inning pitched.
Texas State took the early lead after Jared Huber, senior catcher, scored the first and only run of the game for the Bobcats in the top of the second inning.
The senior catcher hit an RBI single toward the opposing pitcher, bringing home Jaylen Hubbard, junior third baseman.
Ryan Newman, junior first baseman, and Hubbard, would each record two hits on the game.
Troy would tie the game in the fifth inning, and would take the lead off a home run in the seventh inning.
As the end of the game approached, the Bobcat bullpen began to falter and the offense struggled to score against Trojans starting pitcher Levi Thomas.
The Trojans would go on to add three insurance runs in the eighth inning, an RBI single and a two RBI triple, effectively sealing the 5-1 victory.
In day two of the tournament the Bobcats look to stave off elimination and keep their 2018 campaign alive as they face off against the winner of No.2 seed Louisiana vs. No.7 seed Little Rock in an elimination game May 24. at 12:30 p.m.