A costly dropped fly ball from Bearcats right fielder Braylen Gonzalez, paired with Austin Eaton allowing one run in six innings, led Texas State to a 7-4 victory against Binghamton to complete the series sweep on Sunday at Bobcat Ballpark.
Gonzalez dropped what looked to be a routine flyout with two outs in the fourth inning, allowing Dawson Park to reach second base. A nightmare scenario then unfolded for the Bearcats, as four hits, a walk and a hit-by-pitch led Texas State to score six runs and take a 7-0 lead.
Eaton’s strong outing, which included three strikeouts, came after he assumed the designated hitter role in games one and two of the series.
“It’s always nice working with a lead, especially with the wind blowing in,” Eaton said. “You can throw it up in the zone and make the defense work.”
Catcher Theo Kummer notched his first two hits as a Bobcat, going 2-for-4 with an RBI. Ethan Farris went 3-for-4 with a triple, three RBIs and a run scored to raise his batting average to .417 on the young season.
“Super confident today,” said Farris, a former MLB draft pick. “I’ve been able to take this [confidence] with me the last couple of games. [I’m] just seeing [the ball] well.”
Binghamton left fielder Logan Haskell hit a solo home run in the ninth inning for his second hit and RBI of the day to make the score 7-4. Colin Rhein suffered the loss on the mound, allowing one earned run (plus six unearned) in 3 2/3 innings.
Next, Texas State will take on the No. 17 Oklahoma State Cowboys on Tuesday night at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. The Cowboys are 1-1 this season, with a 6-5 loss to Clemson and a 12-3 win against Louisville.
