Saturday: ULM 8, TXST 5
In a game marked by self-inflicted errors defensively and on the basepaths, the Texas State Bobcats (12-7, 0-3 SBC) dropped their second consecutive game and lost their first weekend series of the season to the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks (12-9, 3-0 SBC) 8-5 at Lou St. Amant Field in Monroe, La.
While both teams accumulated numerous hits, the Bobcats squandered scoring chances and gave up unearned runs to the Warhawks. It marks a significant stumble out of the gate for Sun Belt Conference play, along with the fact Texas State has yet to pick up a road win this year.
The Bobcats began the afternoon in the best of ways: putting the first five batters on base and scoring two runs in the top of the first inning. Nevertheless, freshman centerfielder Jackson Cotton getting caught stealing and sophomore shortstop Dawson Park being called out after failing to touch first base on his way to second soured the potential for more scoring.
On the mound, Bobcats junior starting pitcher Sam Hall began strong in the first inning, striking out two and stranding a Warhawk runner at second base. But Hall hurt his own cause in the second inning, first by misplaying a hard-hit but playable grounder by Warhawk graduate designated-hitter Marcus Aranda and then overthrowing sophomore first baseman Ethan Farris once he gathered himself. Those two errors scored the first ULM run of the game.
It would not be their last, as freshman second-baseman Dayne Wray tattooed a 1-2 offering from Hall toward the left field foul pole in the bottom of the fourth. The hit, managing to stay fair, gave Wray his seventh homer of the season.
Hall only lasted one more batter, whom he walked, getting relieved by junior Alec Beversdorf, who has been steady handed in relief work this season. He allowed Hall’s remaining runner from first to home on three wild pitches, surrendering the lead to ULM.
The next Warhawk batter, sophomore catcher Zach White, crushed a no-doubter to left, pushing the ULM advantage to 4-2 in his first home run of the season.
Texas State responded as Cotton redeemed himself in the fifth with a two-run dinger to deep center. Park’s bat remained active as well in the same inning, doubling to right-center and scoring senior right fielder Rashawn Galloway all the way from first base, retaking a 5-4 lead.
Galloway went go 3-3, scoring twice and stretching his hitting streak to 11 games.
However, The Warhawks weren’t done as a series of doubles regained the lead and chased Beversdorf from the game.
A single by senior third baseman Kade Dupont tallied the final score and eventual victory for ULM. While the Bobcats tried to play catch-up in the later half of the game, it was not meant to be.
Beversdorf got pinned with the loss and the Bobcats were left baffled by a night of ‘what-ifs” and costly miscues.
Sunday: ULM 16, TXST 5
After a hot start to the season, Texas State entered the third and final game of its first conference series against ULM needing to break its three-game losing streak.
The game got off to a rough start for Texas State. The Bobcats scored no runs in the top of the first. Junior pitcher Jesus Tovar walked the first two batters back-to-back and allowed ULM to score three runs at the start of the bottom of the first.
A devastating throwing error allowed a fourth ULM runner to make it home. Two more Warhawk runs led to freshman pitcher Wade Cooper taking over on the mound. ULM batter Zach White hit a double, resulting in a 7-0 lead for the Warhawks.
Another wild pitch allowed ULM to advance a runner to third and eventually run home, resulting in an 8-0 lead.
A quick at-bat for the Bobcats in the top of the second saw one runner walk to first and three outs. Texas State took care of business in the bottom of the second, allowing one hit and zero runs.
Three straight hits at the top of the third inning allowed Texas State to score, finally getting the Bobcats on the board. ULM scored one in the home half, making it 9-1 after three complete.
Sophomore infielder Brady Boles and graduate catcher Austin Munguia both hit singles to get on base at the top of the fifth inning. Two Bobcat RBIs brought the score to 9-3.
ULM scored three runs during their at-bat at the bottom of the fifth, resulting in a score of 12-3.
In the top of the sixth, sophomore Ethan Farris hit his first career home run for Texas State, giving the Bobcats one additional run, bringing the score to 12-4
In the bottom of the sixth, the Bobcats switched to freshman pitcher Titan Targac. Warhawk Marcus Aranda hit a leadoff double and advanced to third after a sacrifice bunt. A double to left field allowed Aranda to score ULM’s thirteenth run.
Texas State scored one run in the seventh inning and stranded one runner on base, bringing the score to 13-5. After an RBI by ULM took the score to 14-5, Texas State brought in senior pitcher Colby Diaz.
A home run by Aranda tallied two more runs, triggering the end of the game on a run-rule in the bottom of the seventh inning with a score of 16-5.
This was ULM’s first opening series sweep since 2007 and their first sweep over the Bobcats since 2001 in Sunbelt play.
Texas State will look to break its four game skid when they head to College Station for a showdown with the Aggies.
First pitch between Texas State and Texas A&M is set for 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 17 at Blue Bell Park in College Station. The game will be streaming on ESPN+.
