Redshirt senior catcher August Ramirez hit a go-ahead opposite field two-run home run in the seventh inning as Texas State baseball (10-8, 1-0 Sun Belt Conference) defeated Appalachian State University (11-5, 0-1 Sun Belt Conference) 3-2 Friday night in the first of a three-game series at Bobcat Ballpark.
The victory marks Texas State’s first conference win of the season and its third consecutive win.
Ramirez’s go-ahead shot put the Bobcats up 2-1 after the Mountaineers scored the first run of the game in the top of the same inning on an RBI single from graduate first baseman Drew Holderbach.
A wild pitch allowed senior first baseman Alec Patino to score in the seventh inning, pushing the Bobcats’ run total to three.
Ramirez’s “oppo taco” came off a backdoor slider from junior pitcher Cody Little.
“Those first two at-bats, they kind of attacked me [with a lot of off-speed pitches],” Ramirez said. “They got me out on those first two at-bats, so I took the same mindset of knowing they’re going to throw me some off-speed pitches and took advantage of the one I saw.”
Redshirt junior Austin Eaton started on the mound for the Bobcats, allowing one run on two hits, two walks and five strikeouts in seven innings.
Head Coach Steven Trout said Eaton threw his best game in a Bobcat uniform.
“[Eaton] was just pounding the strike zone and he found his slider again,” Trout said. “I thought the last couple outings he hadn’t really had his dominant slider like he had in the fall and [last] spring, so they went back to work on it, and tonight he had it.”
Redshirt junior starting pitcher Bradley Wilson got the no-decision on the mound, allowing zero runs on one hit, two walks and six strikeouts in six innings of work. Little was charged with the loss, allowing three runs in one inning before being replaced.
The Mountaineers nearly came back, with senior center fielder Banks
Tolley hitting a solo home run with two outs in the ninth to make it a 3-2 game. Two more runners reached base before junior pitcher Matthew Tippie induced a ground out to complete the save.
The Bobcats will look to clinch the series victory on Saturday, with sophomore pitcher Sam Hall set to take the mound.
The opening pitch between Texas State and Appalachian State is scheduled to be thrown at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Mar. 16, at Bobcat Ballpark. The game will be available to stream on ESPN+.
