Alex Valentin had the pleasure of flashing a ranked opponent’s hand sign upside down for the second time this season. This time, it was the horns down.
After Texas State went 7 ⅔ innings without recording a hit, Ryne Farber delivered a two-out double that led to an exclamation point two-run home run from Ian Collier as Texas State (13-15, 4-5 Sun Belt Conference) upset No. 5 Texas (23-4, 8-1 Southeastern Conference) 5-3 at UFCU Disch-Falk Field Tuesday night.
The Bobcats extended their winning streak on the Forty Acres to four, dating back to 2022.
“When we play our brand of baseball at a high level, we can beat anybody,” Texas State head coach Steven Trout said. “Our record is not where we want it to be, but we’ve been injured, we’re fighting, we’re working, and hopefully this is one of those that kind of springboard us forward.”
Shane Connell earned his first start of the season and impressed. In four innings, Connell struck out four and gave up three hits and one run.
Carson Laws recorded the win. After a three up, three down sixth inning, he gave up a leadoff double in the seventh to Cole Chamberlain. The next batter, Tommy Farmer IV, hit a hard ground ball to the shortstop, but Farber’s diving effort kept the ball in the infield, likely saving a run and preventing things from getting out of hand.
“Obviously, Farber’s play was a big one to kind of get the momentum back. If that ball gets through, probably a different story of the game,” said Trout.
Laws bounced back from a questionable balk that scored Chamberlain in the seventh by getting out of a bases-loaded jam to hold the Longhorns to a 2-1 lead going into the eighth inning. Laws finished the night with three hits allowed, one run and four strikeouts in two innings of work.
“Laws was unbelievable, obviously after the crazy plays, then Laws goes from second and third nobody out and gets out of it, that’s a part that a lot of people are going to forget,” said Trout.
The Bobcats went into the eighth inning hitless, but a two-out double from Farber jolted an offensive spark. Freshman Dawson Park followed the double up with a ball hit to the center field wall that resulted in a Longhorn error, scoring Farber and moving Park to third. Chase Mora stepped up next and reached on an infield single after a misplayed ball at third base, scoring Park. Mora’s single set Collier up for a loud 453-foot home run off a hanging curveball he sent over the Yeti Yard in left center field to put the Bobcats ahead 5-2.
“Hitting is contagious, and it just takes one guy to get going,” said Collier. “No one got down when we were getting no-hit so far through the game. We just stayed at it, one pitch at a time and were able to get it done.”
Matthew Tippie relieved Laws for the eighth inning and threw a perfect frame, leaving the Longhorns looking for magic only ten pitches later.
Valentin was called on to get the save in the bottom of the ninth and did just that. He started the inning struggling to find the zone and gave up an RBI double to Jadyen Duplantier to put the Longhorns within two. Valentin faced a bases-loaded jam with one out, but with the winning run on first, he got Will Gasparino, who hit a solo home run in the fourth, to fly out followed by a lineout to seal the deal. Valentin gave up two walks, two hits and one run and tallied a strikeout en route to his save.
Kade Bing started on the hill for Texas and threw a strong 6 ⅓ hitless innings, allowing one run on a sacrifice fly with three walks and two strikeouts. Freshman Jason Flores was given the loss after giving up all four Bobcat runs in the eighth inning.
Duplantier, the nine-hole hitter, was the only Longhorn to finish with more than one hit with two while also collecting the nail-biting RBI off his ninth-inning double. The Longhorns knocked on the door many times throughout the game, but Texas State’s pitching made sure that door remained shut. Texas’ hitters combined for 12 strikeouts in the game and stranded 11 runners on the base paths.
Texas State now goes on the road for a series against Louisiana (15-15, 6-3 Sun Belt Conference). The Bobcats will look for their first win over the Ragin’ Cajuns since May 2022. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. on Friday. The game will be available to stream on ESPN+.
