A four-run second inning by Baylor University Tuesday evening once again put the Bobcats in an early hole and was enough to hand Texas State a 6-3 loss in Waco.

Freshman pitcher Andrew Boes got the start and lasted an inning and two thirds. He gave up five earned runs on seven hits while striking out two and walking one batter. The Bobcats used six total pitchers in the game. Only one other pitcher gave up a run.

Senior catcher Andrew Stumph singled to left, and after a Baylor throwing error, sophomore shortstop Garrett Mattlage scored the Bobcats’ first run. The game was tied 1-1 after the first inning. The second inning was not so fortunate for Texas State.

Boes was able to get out the first two batters he faced, but then let up a double before a single, scoring one. Baylor’s Duncan Wendel started the second inning hitting a single to right center, scoring after a double and an eventual sacrifice fly out.

Once student athletes conquer the collegiate sports world, some set their sights on becoming professionals.

“It’s a blessing to be out there chasing your dream,” said former Bobcat offensive tackle Ty Nsekhe. “It (was) an adjustment from the AFL (to the NFL). It’s been awhile since I’ve played 11 on 11.”

Nsekhe and many other once-Bobcats have made their mark at the NFL, CFL or AFL levels. Nsekhe is the latest to reach the NFL, where he is extended through the 2014 season with the St. Louis Rams.

“As a kid (I watched) the games and wanted to play at the highest level,” Nsekhe said.

Ty Nsekhe

St. Louis Rams

The women's basketball team will be traveling to take on Houston Baptist University, loser of seven games straight, after coming off their most efficient first half of the season in a 74-65 loss to the University of Texas-San Antonio Saturday.

Houston Baptist has won a combined nine games in three years. This will be the second time in history the two teams have met to play against each other. 

Houston Baptist is 4-20 on the season, 0-4 in conference. The Huskies’ last win came on Jan. 12 against the University of New Orleans, 60-45. They are coming off a 77-48 loss to a conference opponent, the New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark.

The Huskies’ record was 1-27 overall with a 0-10 record in the Great West Conference last season. Houston Baptist ranks last this season in the Great West, a five-team conference. The team ranks last with -2.38 in turnover margin in the conference.

J D. Stinnett, freshman infielder, dives for a grounder Feb. 17 at the Bobcat Baseball Complex.

The Texas State baseball team started their season with two comeback efforts this weekend but came up short both games, going 1-2 in the CenturyLink Bobcat Invitational.

The Bobcats played Missouri State Friday and lost 3-2, and won against Tulane Saturday 2-3. On Sunday Texas State took on former Southland Conference foe Sam Houston State University looking to end the weekend over .500, but came up short to the Bearkats.

The Bobcats erased a seven-run deficit with 8 runs in the seventh, but surrendering two runs in the top of the ninth to lose 10-9.

The Texas State softball team won both games against Mississippi Valley State University but was unable to conquer No. 15 University of Louisiana-Lafayette in the 27th Annual Louisiana Classic.

Texas State took a 2-1 lead into the bottom of the seventh inning against the Ragin’ Cajuns. The ball club was an out away from pulling the upset when senior starting pitcher Anne Marie Taylor left the final game of the weekend with an undisclosed injury.

“If we didn’t lose Anne Marie late, we probably would have won that game,” said Coach Ricci Woodard. “She had to come out of the game. She has an injury, and we are just waiting for a report to see where she’s at. Playing (Louisiana-Lafayette) the way we did on Sunday shows that we have the capabilities of being one of the best teams in the country.”

Wesley Davis, sophomore guard, attempts a lay-up Feb. 16 at the Strahan Coliseum.

UTSA’s 31-point lead in the first half proved to be too much to overcome in the second half for men’s basketball Saturday, as the Bobcats fell 73-62.

The 46-20, 26-point deficit marked the largest halftime deficit for the Bobcats this year. The performance was evident from the nine total rebounds posted by the Bobcats, compared to the nine offensive rebounds by the Roadrunners and 25 total boards.

Junior forward Ashley Ezeh returned to play against the University of Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners after a five-week injury absence on Saturday, but the Bobcats came up short, 74-65.

Texas State has struggled with rebounding in previous games without Ezeh in the lineup. Ezeh ranks third in the WAC in defensive rebounds, averaging 9.6 boards per game. Ezeh came off the bench and played 24 minutes, shot 6-10 and contributed 13 points and three rebounds.

“It felt good to be back. I wanted to be back so bad,” Ezeh said. “I worked in rehab often and tried my hardest to get back on the court. I’m just going to keep practicing, working hard and get my offensive presence going, and hopefully we’ll win the upcoming games in the season.”

The Bobcats shot a season high 77.3 percent from the floor in the first half, hitting on 17 of 22 shots. However, Texas State’s shooting consistency fell to 31.6 percent in the second half with 6 of 19.

The fate of the 2013 Texas State baseball team might be determined by how quickly and effectively the inexperienced players develop as the year progresses.

“(The early competition) is going to put some pressure on (the newcomers) to play at a level they may or may not be ready for,” said Coach Ty Harrington. “There are going to be tremendous challenges early for this team because of the lack of experience.”

The Bobcats look very different this season than they did last year. They lost several stars during the last couple of years but are hoping the presence of a closely united team will be able to overcome any obstacles standing in their path.

“Harrington has been very hard on (us) coming together as a team,” said sophomore infielder Colby Targun. “There are not as many big name superstars as there were last year. They told us we have to stay together as a team.”

The Texas State softball team is currently on a five-game losing streak and is looking to avenge its start by traveling to Lafayette this weekend to compete in the 27th Annual Louisiana Classic.

The University of Louisiana-Lafayette will host Mississippi Valley State University and the Bobcats for the two-day tournament taking place Feb. 16-17.

“The big thing we have to do is have three good days of practice,” said Coach Ricci Woodard. “We need high energy, and we need high level practices. We have to have kids ready to get after it for this week’s classic.”

Senior Jordan Masek and junior Coralee Ramirez are off to good beginnings, despite Texas State’s 0-5 start. Masek leads the team with a .417 batting average and had at least a hit in all five games of the Hilton Houston Plaza Classic. Ramirez hit two homers and made five RBI in last weekend’s match-ups.

The transition to the WAC hasn’t sailed as smoothly as Texas State and the University of Texas-San Antonio would have hoped.

Fans can expect a high level of intensity and passion on the court in the 55th meeting between the two programs despite the combined WAC record of 4-22.

The Feb. 16 game at Strahan Coliseum will mark the final conference game between I-35 rivals Texas State and UTSA. UTSA leads the all-time Interstate 35 series, 31-23. Next year, the Bobcats will move to the Sun Belt Conference and the Roadrunners will enter Conference USA. The transition to different leagues could potentially end scheduled games between the Bobcats and Roadrunners.