Bobcats Win Third Straight Series Despite Dropping Finale and Continue to Roll

By Ben Cameron

KTSW Sports Reporter

SAN MARCOS, Texas – The Bobcats continued to live up to the name ‘Slam Marcos’ this weekend against Georgia Southern, hitting thirteen homers and winning two of three for their third straight series win. They’ve won eight of their last nine conference games and sit at 21-10 with an 8-4 Sun Belt record; good for second just behind Coastal Carolina (10-1). Southern
avoided the sweep, sneaking out of San Marcos with a 9-8 win Friday night in a game with plenty of late drama.

Jesus Tovar started on the bump for the Bobcats, and had a rare blowup outing, letting up six earned runs on six hits and two walks in only three innings. The Eagles really got to him in the third when they plated four on three straight singles, a walk, double and sac fly.

Alizaeh Gutierrez relieved Tovar of his duties in the fourth and was solid, tossing two and a third allowing only one run. Dylan Kerbow threw a scoreless two-thirds and Keller Eberly was nails’ with two scoreless frames and three punchies in the seventh and eighth.

Texas State fought back in the bottom of the fourth with four runs thanks to a Dawson Park solo shot, his eleventh, and a towering Chase Mora three-run blast, his fifth of the season, and 37th of his Bobcat career; a record breaking mark, passing program legend and future Hall of Famer Paul Goldschmidt.

The game would go back and forth the rest of the way. Texas State plated another in the fifth, as did Southern in the sixth, and one more in the seventh for the Cats to make it 7-6 heading to the eighth.

Ethan Farris, with tension in the air, took a late 8-7 lead with a two-run no-doubter to left, his eighth in thirteen games, after Jaquae Stewart was hit by a pitch and benches almost cleared with the home plate umpire having to get between them.

Head Coach Steven Trout would look to Dawson Park for the save, instead of usual closer Wade Cooper who threw the previous night, but wouldn’t record an out and Southern would take a 9-8 lead on a single up the middle.

“He [Park] throws bullpens every week, sim games every week, it’s not like we just threw him out there, ” Trout said. “He’s got our best stuff to go get the outs, didn’t work out our way tonight.”

Shane Connell and Alex Yearwood would both contribute to finishing off the ninth, and Texas State couldn’t bring home Justin Vossos after a leadoff double, falling 9-8, snapping their eight game conference winning streak.

“We fought down to the very last pitch so to me our competing was off the charts,” Trout said. “Obviously that’s one we want back but at the end of the day you go and win another series and try to keep it rolling.”

The Bobcats will host the ranked Texas A&M Aggies Tuesday night, with a celebration of a new stadium name.