By Tyler Mayforth
Daily Record Sports
May 17, 2008 04:39 pm
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Ben Theriot thumped his bat on the plate after striking out to begin the ninth inning — it was just one of those nights for Texas State. The Bobcats were unable to get a hit when it mattered, losing 3-0 against UTSA on Friday night.
One day after drumming the Roadrunners for 10 runs, Texas State (28-25, 18-11 SLC) was unable to get anything going. UTSA starting pitcher Bradley Chovanec was in the zone against the Bobcats.
Chovanec struck out five of the first seven batters he faced. He didn’t allow a hit until one out was gone in the fourth inning.
“If you start out like that, then maybe (Texas State) gets a little bit down,” Chovanec said. “The big thing is getting that first batter out and that’s all I try to do.”
The Bobcats fell behind 1-0 in the third after Zach Tritz allowed the first two batters to reach base. Phillip Allen, who walked to leadoff the inning, scored on Tim Palinscar’s RBI ground out.
Texas State had two opportunities in the next two innings to tie the game, but its bats went silent. The Bobcats stranded Aaron Fuller and Theriot 90 feet away from scoring, in the third and fourth, respectively.
“We had three opportunities offensively to try to put something together and we didn’t,” Texas State head coach Ty Harrington said. “Twice we had runners in scoring position with less than two outs and weren’t able to get them in.”
The Roadrunners (38-16, 22-7 SLC) went up 2-0 in the sixth after Michael Rockett launched a mammoth solo home run off Tritz. The Bobcats’ starter was pulled after issuing a four-pitch walk to the next batter and Aaron Taylor got out of the inning unscathed.
Kane Holbrooks, who came in on relief of Taylor, held UTSA off the board until he allowed a run in the eighth. Holbrooks struck out four in two innings and put Texas State in position to get back into the game.
“I thought (our pitching) was good,” Harrington said. “They’re a very good hitting offensive team and we hold them to three runs.”
Theriot singled to lead off the seventh and two batters later, Spenser Dennis singled up the middle. The Bobcats looked sure to get a run in the inning, but Fuller popped out to the shortstop and Jason Martinson struck out to end the threat.
The first four batters of the Texas State lineup combined to go 0 for 16 with four strikeouts. Thomas Field struck out twice and committed a costly error in the third.
After Theriot struck out to begin the ninth, the Bobcats couldn’t mount anything against Zach Calhoon who picked up his 14th save.
“I just wanted to get something started there in the ninth,” Theriot said. “I know once we get our bats rolling, nobody’s going to stop us. I figure if I get on and the next guy gets on...we have the potential to hit a three-run home run. That inning started with me and I didn’t do my job.”
Neither did the rest of the Texas State hitters.
The loss assured the Bobcats of at least the third seed in the SLC Conference Tournament beginning Wednesday in Huntsville. Lamar scored seven runs in the ninth to beat McNeese State and clinched the second seed.
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