TXST BASEBALL
Texas State fell to TCU in their midweek game, losing to the Horned Frogs 5-3.
The loss drops the Bobcats’ record to 8-8 overall.
“That’s a really good team over there,” Head Coach Steven Trout said. “They won six in a row … That’s a really good offense. There’s no moral victories ever with our team, but I like the way we competed tonight. There were things I like that didn’t get the full results, but, there’s some swings earlier in the game, some line drives that they caught that if those things go through, the game’s different.
“The game was played a little bit cleaner and better, and so we had a good day today. We have to find a way to have a better work day tomorrow and hop into conference [play]”.
TCU struck first, scoring on a Bobcat wild pitch to go up 1-0 in the top of the first inning. The Bobcats answered back in the bottom of the second inning when freshman Zachary Gingrich hit his first career home run, a solo shot over the wall in left-center field, tying the game at 1-1.
TCU and Texas State traded runs back and forth in the third inning. TCU retook the lead with an RBI single only for the Bobcats to answer back with a RBI single from Chase Mora, making it a 2-2 game.
The Horned Frogs again took the lead back on an RBI single before adding another run in the top of the fifth inning on a Bobcat fielding error.
Despite trailing by two runs, Texas State refused to give in. Senior Alan Shibley hit his first home run in a Bobcat uniform, making it a 4-3 game in the bottom of the sixth inning.
TCU pushed their lead to 5-3 with a solo home run in the top of the eighth inning.
With the conference opener set to start this weekend, Trout is hopeful that the difficult non-conference schedule will prepare the Bobcats for Sun Belt play while continuing to improve on the field.
“We have to go out and play really good baseball,” Trout said. “We need a good start on the mound, try to find some momentum on our offensive side and find ways to score more runs. We’re going to learn from our early season. That’s why we schedule that way to play good teams.
“When you beat teams 20-0 that doesn’t do a whole lot for your team besides maybe give yourself some confidence which is what you need at times. As far as playing four really good quality teams, then you look at our midweek games, we really haven’t had just an off-game of playing somebody that’s not that good. We’re gonna learn and be better from it.”
Texas State opens conference play on the road against App State. The Mountaineers are 8-8 overall, coming off a weekend series loss to College of Charleston and a midweek win over Charlotte.
First pitch for Friday’s game is scheduled for 6 p.m.
cmcwilliams @sanmarcosrecord.com Twitter: @ColtonBMc
Senior pitcher Matthew Tippie delivers the pitch in the Bobcats home game against the Horned Frogs. Daily Record by Gerald Castillo
