Texas State junior infielder Aaron Lugo broke the internet when he hit a go-ahead home run in the ninth inning while blowing a bubblegum-bubble against the University of Texas at Minute Maid Park in Houston on March 2.
The stakes weren’t nearly as high, but Lugo nearly recreated the same blast with another bubble-blowing home run, this time a three-run home run as Texas State baseball (19-19, 6-9 Sun Belt Conference) defeated the University of the Incarnate Word (20-15, 5-4 Southland Conference) Tuesday night at Sullivan Field in San Antonio.
Lugo’s three-run home run made the score 3-0 in the first inning and propelled Texas State to the 10-8 victory.
On the mound, Texas State senior pitcher Rhett McCaffety started the game and picked up the win, hurling three perfect innings with six strikeouts.
The Bobcats led the entire game. In the second inning, senior outfielder Cade Manning hit an RBI double off the left-field wall to make it 4-0.
An RBI fielder’s choice from junior outfielder Dalton Beck in the fourth inning, followed by a solo home run from sophomore infielder Tony DeJesus in the fifth inning, brought the Cardinals back into the game.
Five straight two-out singles from the Bobcat offense in the fifth inning led to three more runs, pushing Texas State’s lead to five.
Senior first baseman Alec Patino hit an RBI double in the seventh inning, and Beck responded with a solo home run in the bottom half of the inning.
Redshirt senior designated hitter August Ramirez put up two runs on a two-RBI single in the eighth inning.
Incarnate Word graduate outfielder Rey Mendoza drove in a run in the bottom of the inning. Another Cardinal scored on an error, making the score 10-4 in the Bobcats’ favor heading into the ninth inning.
Incarnate Wood almost mounted a miraculous comeback in the ninth, scoring four runs to make it 10-8 and bringing the winning run to third before junior infielder Rob Liddington Jr. struck out, ending the game.
Incarnate Word junior pitcher Micah Berens suffered the loss, allowing three earned runs in four innings of work.
Texas State will look to continue its win streak in a three-game series against South Alabama University (2016, 6-9 Sun Belt Conference) this upcoming weekend.
The opening pitch in game one between Texas State and South Alabama is set to be thrown at 6 p.m. Friday, Apr. 19, at Bobcat Ballpark in San Marcos, Texas. The game will be available to stream on ESPN+.
