Texas State Takes Down the Texans in Cleburne

By Sarah Bergen

KTSW Sports Reporter

CLEBURNE, Texas—The Bobcats defeated the Tarleton Texans 9-4 in their second game of the Cleburne College Baseball Classic. They now have a four-game winning streak heading into the final game of the weekend.

Nolan Moore started on the mound for the Bobcats, throwing five shutout innings with six strikeouts. Shane Connell recorded his first career save after getting the final four outs of the game.

Dawson Park continues to perform, going 3-for-5, driving in three runs and scoring twice himself. Also having a good night was Manny Salas who hit a double and an RBI.

Jaquae Stewart and Salas both reached base in the first, followed by a bases clearing double from Park to put the Bobcats on the board early.

The score remained 2-0 until the sixth inning when Beheler got his first collegiate hit off the left field wall to bring Park home.

In the seventh inning, Salas added another run for the Bobcats with a ball up the middle for an RBI single, increasing the lead 4-0.

The Texans scored their first run of the night in the bottom of the seventh with two more in the eighth to make it a one-run game.

Jackson Cotton led off the ninth with a towering solo home run to left center; his third of the season. The Bobcats saw four more runs cross the plate to extend the lead to 9-4.

The Texans were unable to respond in the bottom frame and the Bobcats moved to 8-2 on the young season for the first time since 2022.

Head Coach Steven Trout said he was proud of the Bobcats pitching and praised the bullpen for their work late in the game.

“Shane Connell, who actually went to a wedding and wasn’t supposed to be here tonight, but knew we were probably going to use him tonight, so he actually came back in town, so proud of that,” said Trout.

He also said a win is a win but added that early performance is key to a smooth game.

“Obviously our best events tonight came in the ninth inning and break it open. So, I’d love for those rides to come early in the game to slow everybody’s heart rate down, but this team just kind of has the thing for beginning,” said Trout. “I’ll take it, take a win, and they go 2-0 in the tournament.”

The Bobcats will reface the ACU Wildcats Sunday for their final game of the weekend with first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m.