Texas State baseball (20-21, 7-11 Sun Belt Conference) went 2-2 last week, defeating the University of Incarnate Word 10-8 before going 1-2 versus conference foe South Alabama over the weekend.
Here are three takeaways from the Texas State’s performance last week:
Ryne Farber’s return did not disappoint
Farber returned from an undisclosed injury this weekend against South Alabama. Farber looked sharp at the plate despite being out for almost a month. He went 3-for-6 in game one, accounting for two runs that proved vital as the Bobcats held onto a 6-3 victory. He finished the weekend going 6-for-12 and getting on base seven times.
For Texas State, Farber’s return is a huge boost to the lineup as he now leads the team in batting average, hitting .378, and has been an extremely effective lead-off hitter with a .504 on-base percentage.
Pitching was not the problem
The Texas State pitching staff has struggled this season, posting a 5.60 team ERA and giving up over nine hits a game. This weekend was a different story as the Bobcats were solid on the mound, allowing just 12 runs in three games and keeping the team in games late.
Unfortunately, the Bobcat offense could not take advantage, scoring a combined three runs in games two and three after a six-run performance in game one. Hopefully, the pitching performance this weekend continues down the stretch for the Bobcats.Â
The Bobcats are in dangerous territory
After dropping its fourth straight conference series, Texas State is in danger of missing out on the Sun Belt Conference Championship Tournament. The Bobcats currently sit at 11th in the Sun Belt standings and will need to move up at least one spot to receive a bid.
It will be important for Texas State to make the conference tournament as the winner will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament and will likely be the only chance for postseason play for the Bobcats.