The Texas State Bobcats used an early offensive surge to defeat Washington State 13-11 Thursday night, improving their overall record to 10-2 on the season.

A home run by Manny Salas sparked a five-run second inning shifting all the momentum in favor of the Bobcats. Texas State’s offense kept rolling into the third inning, adding four more runs to extend the lead to 9-1.

Washington State responded in the top of the fifth with a four-run inning of their own, cutting the deficit to 10-7 bringing the Cougars back into the game heading into the final three innings of the game.

Despite the shift in momentum, head coach Steven Trout emphasized the importance of staying focused on one pitch at a time.

“ Yeah I think to me that separates championship teams,” Trout said. “To me, you gotta have that championship mentality of you gotta get back to just win the next pitch. If you’re getting caught up in their momentum, a lot of times what it takes is to win one pitch or win one at bat ”

The Bobcats maintained that approach as Washington State attempted to rally late in the game.

This series carries significance as Texas State is set to join the Pac-12 in the summer of 2026, placing the Bobcats and Cougars in the same conference. The four game matchup offers an early glimpse at what could become a future rivalry.

“I think [the win] does give our guys confidence moving forward,” Trout said. “We beat Gonzaga in a series, and if we win this series or do something like that, it gives the guys confidence.”