Published: March 18, 2008 10:33 am      

Bobcats’ busy week begins at Texas

College Baseball

San Marcos — It’s going to be a long and busy week for the Texas State baseball team.

After returning from the 11-hour trip to Nicholls State on Sunday, the Bobcats turnaround and tackle the 18th-ranked Texas Longhorns tonight in Austin.

Then, after one day of rest, the Bobcats will begin a three-game Southland Conference series against Texas-Arlington. The series starts a day early so both teams will not be playing on Easter Sunday.

The Bobcats are coming off a 2-1 series win at Nicholls State and enter tonight’s game playing very well. The Bobcats have won six out of their last seven games and have posted at least 10 runs in their last six games. Texas State enjoyed a successful weekend at Nicholls State, claiming two of three games in the first weekend of Southland Conference play.

Tonight’s game against the Longhorns could turn out to be an offensive shootout.

As a team, the Bobcats are hitting .309 with a slugging percentage of .458, while Texas is hitting .324 with its nine starters hitting over .255. The Horns own a team slugging percentage close to .500.

Cameron Rupp leads the Longhorns with a .423 batting average in 52 at bats and leads the team with three home runs.

Brandon Belt follows Rupp with a .386, average with a team-leading 25 RBIs.

Sophomore center fielder Laurn Randell is leading the Bobcat offense with a .415 average in 53 at bats and is second on the team with 22 hits. Lance Loftin and Adam Witek are swinging strong bats as well, with Loftin hitting. 375 in 48 plate appearances, and Witek is hitting .373 in 63 at bats. Witek and Paul Goldschmidt lead the team with 20 RBIs each.

Texas State owns a 4.49 team ERA as opponents are hitting .309 against the Bobcats. By contrast, Texas’ team ERA is 3.85 as opponents are hitting .332 against Texas pitching.

The Longhorns are coming off a 16-5 over Texas-San Antonio Monday night and took two of three games over Kansas last weekend.

Tonight’s match-up will mark the first meeting between the two Interstate 35 rivals this season, but the Bobcats did post a 4-3 win in a preseason exhibition game earlier in the year at Dell Diamond.

The Bobcats suffered a 5-3 loss and a 7-1 loss to the Longhorns last season.

Tonight’s game will also mark the first time the Bobcats get to play in the newly renovated Disch-Falk Field. More than $12 million was spent on more seating and luxury boxes.