In their first mid-week action of the season, the Texas State Bobcats (3-1) were annihilated Tuesday evening by the Baylor Bears (4-0) 14-4 at Magnolia Field in Waco, Texas.
Baylor started the game going up 2-0 in the bottom of the first, chasing Bobcats junior starting pitcher Sam Hall off the mound as he failed to record an out, giving up two runs on three hits and two walks.
From there, Texas State’s game plan shifted to a bullpen game, as it threw out a total of 10 pitchers into the mix, with freshman Titan Targac throwing the most in relief with 2 1/3 innings pitched, striking out one while giving up just one walk and one run in the process.
In the top of the third, trailing 3-0, the Bobcats struck back in a big way that saw senior utility player Rashawn Galloway start the rally with an RBI triple.
Texas State then tied and took the lead off back-to-back home runs from junior left fielder Jacque Stewart and senior third basemen Chase Mora, giving the Bobcats a 4-3 lead.
Mora’s second home run of the season pushed him to his 33rd career longball, tying him for second all-time in program history with former Bobcat Jose Gonzales. He is three away from tying the record held by Paul Goldschmidt.
Texas State held steady until the fifth inning, when the Bears clawed their way to a 6-4 lead. The game was still within reach with an offense that had some momentum from just two innings prior.
However, once the sixth inning arrived, the highly competitive game turned into a slog when Baylor took advantage of multiple self-inflicted mistakes and expanded its lead.
Three pitchers threw in the sixth alone, with multiple runs given up via wild pitches. In the end, the Bears scored five runs and amassed a 11-4 lead. Baylor’s run production continued well into the last couple of innings while the Bobcats waved the white flag and began with mass substitutions.
Ultimately, Texas State left Waco with its first loss of the season despite a promising start to the game.
Texas State will return to San Marcos for a weekend series against a future Pac-12 conference opponent in the Gonzaga Bulldogs. First pitch of the weekend series is set for 6:05 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20, at Bobcat Ballpark. The game will be available to stream on ESPN+.
