After losing to them 15-3 the day before, Texas State (5-2) went 1-1 against the Illinois Fighting Illini (4-2) in a doubleheader on Sunday at Bobcat Ballpark.
Game one
Two-way player Austin Eaton and catcher Austin Munguia each hit a solo home run, and pitchers Sam Hall and Bryson Dudley combined for nine strong innings as Texas State won game one 5-2.
“[Mungia] is a high-energy guy, he’s a big-time leader on our team,” Texas State head coach Steven Trout said. “He’s a guy that you really work for because he works so hard at it and he’s a great teammate.”
After tying the game 2-2 on an RBI single in the fourth inning, Munguia gave Texas State a 3-2 lead by hitting his first home run as a Bobcat in the sixth. Eaton extended Texas State’s lead to 4-2 by hitting a home run, his second hit of the game, in the seventh.
Hall allowed two earned runs in five innings, struck out two and walked four. Dudley earned his third win of the season by hurling four scoreless innings out of the bullpen, allowing one hit and collecting four strikeouts.
Illinois starting pitcher Ben Plumley gave up three runs in 5 â…” innings on eight hits, two walks and one strikeout. Sam Reed gave up one run in 2 â…“ innings.
Texas State struck first, as Ryne Farber reached on a fielder’s choice in the second inning, allowing Cameron Thompson to score the first run of the game. Illinois responded quickly, as Vytas Valincius hit a two-run home run to left-center, giving the Illini a 2-1 lead before Munguia’s heroics.
In the eighth inning, Thompson stole third base and scored on a throwing error from catcher Jacob Schroeder, making the score 5-2.
Game two
Jack Zebig collected two hits and two RBIs as Illinois won game two 7-4.
Zebig made the score 2-0 in the first inning by hitting an RBI single to center field, driving in Valincius, who drove in the game’s first run on an RBI double. Chase Mora tied the game on a two-out, two-run single in the third, but Illinois quickly grabbed the lead back as Zebig hit an RBI double in the next inning.
Illinois added two insurance runs in the sixth before Farber drove in Thompson on a single in the seventh and Mora followed with another RBI on a double, lowering the deficit to one. Illinois quickly responded as Schroeder came off the bench and hit a two-run home run to left field in the eighth, making the score 7-4.
Julius Sanchez earned the win, throwing five innings and allowing two runs on five hits with three strikeouts and zero walks. Ryan Daly earned the save, collected three strikeouts and allowed one hit in 2 â…” innings.
Thompson, Farber and Mora each had two hits.
Six Texas State pitchers saw action in the rubber match. Eaton started and allowed three runs in three innings while striking out four. Braylen Timmins, Matthew Tippie, Ryan Lawton, Carson Laws and Hayde Key are the other Bobcats who pitched. Tippie and Laws both struggled, allowing two runs apiece.
“When we look back in April and May, we will be better because of this weekend,” Trout said. “One, because Illinois is a good team, and we played some close games, but we are learning our personnel, who to bring in the game, different things like that.
Next, the Bobcats will take on No. 1 Texas A&M (5-1) at 6 p.m. on Tuesday at Blue Bell Park in College Station. The game will be available to stream on SEC Network +.
