University Star

The Texas State baseball team is now first in the Southland Conference with a four-game winning streak, including a sweep of Southeastern Louisiana Thursday to Saturday.

Kane Holbrooks, senior pitcher, set the tone for the Bobcats’ three-game series with the Southeastern Louisiana Lions. He pitched eight and two-thirds innings and improved to a perfect 7-0 on the season.

Paul Goldschmidt, junior infielder, launched his 10th home run of the season in the first inning.

Holbrooks allowed three runs on eight hits while striking out five batters.

“I am proud of him, obviously, especially after this performance tonight,” said Coach Ty Harrington. “He did all he could do and had an outstanding night.”

Spenser Dennis, senior outfielder, drove in Bret Atwood, sophomore outfielder, with a base hit to left centerfield. Ben Theriot, junior catcher, followed with a single up the middle, giving the Bobcats the early 2-0 lead.

“I thought coming into the game that I would throw well, and I did,” Holbrooks said. “But I also want to give credit to the defense because they played very well behind me tonight. It gives me a lot of confidence to know those guys are there on offense and defense.”

Goldschmidt’s two-run homer to right centerfield lifted his career RBI total to 141, making him the all-time career RBI leader at Texas State.

The score was 5-3 after the fifth inning.

“I had no clue that there was a record on the line,” Goldschmidt said.

The team tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the sixth and added one run in the seventh and eighth innings to take the game. The final score was 9-3.

Goldschmidt continued to power hit in the second game. The Bobcats scored four runs in the second inning. Goldschmidt blasted his 11th home run of the season into the softball field.

Zach Tritz, senior pitcher, worked a solid eight innings, surrendering just three runs on five hits while earning his fifth win.

Theriot hit a two-run homer to right field to start the offense. Goldschmidt followed suit by launching a three-run homer to left field, giving the Bobcats a 5-0 lead.

Texas State scored two more runs in the fifth inning to gain a 7-0 lead.

Southeastern Louisiana scored three runs on three hits in the seventh and eighth innings.  The rally was not enough to overcome the Bobcats, however. The final score was 9-3.

Tritz improved to 5-2 on the season and collected four strikeouts in the victory.

Brian Borski, sophomore pitcher, made his eighth start of the season.

The Bobcats and the Lions were tied at 2 until the seventh inning when Southeastern Louisiana scored on an infield error to take the lead 3-2.

The Bobcats rallied in the eighth inning. Goldschmidt tied up the game with a solo home run over the leftfield wall that landed in the softball stadium’s centerfield.

Theriot pinch-hit and drew a walk for the RBI with the bases loaded, giving the Bobcats a 4-3 lead heading into the ninth inning.

Russo made his fifth save on the season.

Texas State earned its first Southland Conference sweep since the opening weekend against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. The Bobcats improve to 23-10 overall and 13-5 in the SLC. Southeastern Louisiana falls to 20-13 overall and 10-8 in the league. The sweep was the first time this season the Lions have lost three straight games.

“It was closer than I wanted, but it is what I anticipated, to be honest,” Harrington said. “We responded well in the second half of the game, not so much in the first half. A lot had to do with who they had on the mound.”

Goldschmidt had three walks in three plate appearances before he got a pitch to hit in the eighth.

“They didn’t pitch to him all day, but they got in a situation where they had to pitch to him,” Harrington said. “I was looking for his fastball so early in the count I was trying to hit it,” Goldschmidt said. “Thank God it happened. It’s the biggest home run so far.”

Harrington said he is proud of his players.

“Brian Borski was good, Lance Loftin was real good and I thought Russo was outstanding,” Harrington said.

Russo threw 13 pitches, nine for strikes, including a strikeout to end the game.

Loftin improved to 2-0 after pitching two and one-thirds innings of relief. The senior collected one strikeout and allowed just one hit and an unearned run.

“The biggest accomplishment for us is that we won a conference game,” Harrington said. “The sweep is nice particularly over a team as good as they are.”

The Bobcats hosted the Houston Baptist Huskies Tuesday for the second time in one week.

Texas State was scoreless until the fifth inning when Cody Gambill, sophomore outfielder, and Goldschmidt each hit RBI singles to give the Bobcats a 2-0 lead.

Garret Carruth, junior pitcher, started the game for the Bobcats. He pitched six scoreless innings and gave up only three hits while striking out three.

The Bobcats added runs in the seventh and eighth inning. Dennis knocked in his 27th RBI of the season and Jason Martinson, sophomore infielder, scored on a throwing error by the Huskies’ third baseman.

Russo came in to close the game in the ninth inning. It was his sixth on the season.

The Bobcats won 4-0.

Texas State will host Prairie View A&M Wednesday before traveling to Natchitoches, La. to face Northwestern State for a three-game SLC series.