Bobcats drop series to South Alabama in rubber match

Texas State dropped the rubber match against the South Alabama Jaguars 3-1 to lose the three game series.

The Bobcats record fell to 20-21 overall and their conference record to 7-11.

“It was obviously a rough day with the wind,” Head Coach Steven Trout said. “I thought Drayton Brown played really well. If we turn that double play [in the third inning], we would have [gotten] out. But at the end of the day, they got two balls through the wind, and we didn’t. You need to have better approaches and keep the ball out of the air on days like today. We just refused to do that. They just took one more pitch than we did and they came out on top.”

Texas State scored their lone run of the game in the first inning. Following a two-out single by designated hitter Ryne Farber, left fielder Daylan Pena hit an RBI double down the left field to score Farber.

South Alabama tied the game in the top of the third inning. With the bases loaded, the Jaguars hit into a fielder’s choice allowing the runner from third to score and tie the game at 1-1.

The Jaguars added two more runs with solo home runs in the fifth and sixth inning, taking the lead at 3-1.

Texas State attempted to make a comeback in the bottom of the ninth inning. The Bobcats put runners on first and second, but the groundout to the shortstop ended the game.

The series loss drops the Bobcats into 11th place in conference where only the top ten teams make the conference tournament.

“Something has to change, or we are not going to make the conference tournament,” Trout said. “That is the truth. Guys have to start playing better. It’s miserable to make a lineup right now or make changes to the pitching staff. We need some guys with consistency that want to step in and get something done.”

Texas State returns to play this Tuesday as the Bobcats host the Incarnate Word Cardinals in the second meeting between the two teams. Texas State won the first matchup 10-8 at UIW.

First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.

cmcwilliams@sanmarcosrecord.com Twitter: @ColtonBMc