Texas State Out Slugs UT Rio Grande Valley

By Reily Chestnut
Sports Reporter

The Bobcats defeated the UTRGV Vaqueros 11-9 in the last game. The Bobcats played on a Wednesday night this season, and they were in a slugfest from the first inning all the way to the last. After Bobcats’ starter Brandon Lewis gave up a two-run single in the first inning, Lewis got his lead right back in the bottom of the 1st inning when Teddy Hoffman came up with two men on base and belted a 1-2 pitch toward the softball field in left to put the ‘cats up 3-2. The ‘cats kept piling on and were up 7-4 through the 5th inning before the Vaqueros scored in the 6th and 7th to cut the lead down to 7-6 for the Bobcats. That’s when Texas State got going again as the ‘cats scored in the 7th on a Luke Sherley’s single, and in the 8th when Jonathan Ortega unloaded the bases with a double to center field to make it 11-6 before going into the 9th inning. However, UTRGV wouldn’t give in that quickly as they scored three runs in the top of the 9th, with two runs coming home on back-to-back errors by shortstop Luke Sherley and second basemen Jonathan Ortega. While two outs had already been gained by Bobcat pitcher Blake Walden to cut the lead for Texas State to 11-9. The buck would stop there though as Vaqueros 2B Austin Siener flied out to left fielder Jacob Almendarez to end the rally and seal the deal for Texas State. 

A few highlight performers for the Bobcats were Jonathan Ortega and Teddy Hoffman. As Ortega went 2-for-5 with four runs batted in to lead the game, while Hoffman went 2-for-4 with that three-run shot that put the Bobcats offense into overdrive for the rest of the game. That home run being his ninth of the year to lead the team while also scoring two runs. Senior relief pitcher, Brandon Courville, picked the win as he came in as relief for starter ,Brandon Lewis, to throw for 4.1 innings, giving one run on two hits while walking four and striking out three Vaqueros to bring his personal record up to two wins and two losses on the season.

With this win the Bobcats improve to 19 and 11 on the season while ending their six game home stand having won nine of their last 13 games to hold down the second best overall record in the Sun Belt Conference. They’re only half a game back of the defending national champion Coastal Carolina Chanticleers. Now the ‘cats march on with the season as they head out to Little Rock to take on the Trojans this weekend. That series will start tonight at 6pm with first pitch airing on KTSW 89.9, your home for all news about Texas State athletics!

Featured image by Madison Tyson.