In an offensive shootout between Texas State and Washington State, the Bobcats needed just three outs going into the top of the ninth inning, clinging to a two-run lead with both teams having combined for 27 hits and 24 runs.
Handing the ball to Wade Cooper to seal a critical win, the freshman from Del Rio answered the call.
“My mindset is what we talk about with [assistant coach Josh] Blakely all the time,” Cooper said. “Throw that thing in there. Hitting is hard, force [the batter] to hit it, don't make it easier for them by pitching around them and just trying to be in the strike zone. I knewcutter and slider were good accuracy wise, so throw it and force them to hit it. Don't be afraid to double up on something that's working.”
The result was three strikeouts on 11 pitches as the Bobcats took the first game of the four-game series between Texas State and Washington State, winning 13-11.
Texas State improves to 10-2 for the season while Washington State falls to 5-7.
“I thought offensively, obviously a really good night,” Head Coach Steven Trout said. ”I think the one thing that's going to get lost is we really dominated the free 90 battle. You hear me talk about it a lot tonight and we gave up home runs. They hadn't hit a whole lot of home runs but when you look at those flags, the wind's blowing out 25. You're going to give up runs in this ballpark. The key is just don't stack it up and walk a guy, make an error, hit a guy, and then give up the three run home run. A lot of those were solos tonight so I can live with that if guys are filling it up.
“Our pitching staff has been carrying us the last little bit. It's a really good job by the offense to keep scoring, but to them you have to keep scoring. They are in the seventh, bases-load you have to finish the game. This game's crazy and this wind's crazy sometimes. But at the end of the day, it's a win, and I'm proud of our guys.:
The Bobcats struck first when junior Manny Salas crushed a solo home run into left field to give Texas State the lead in the bottom of the second inning.
Later in the same at-bat, sophomore Brady Boles hit an RBI single followed by an RBI single by freshman Clayton Namken to put the Bobcats up 3-0.
Boles later scored on a wild pitch while Namken scored on a passed ball to give Texas State a 5-0 lead.
The Cougars scored their first run of the game on an RBI double but the Bobcats got the out from the relay throw by Rashawn Galloway to Dawson Park to Chase Mora.
Texas State got their run back in the bottom of the third on an RBI single by freshman Tanner Carson, making it a 6-1 game.
Following a sacrifice fly by Namken, Galloway connected with a two-run RBI double, extending the lead to 9-1.
Washington State struck again in their next at-bat, hitting a two-run home run as the Bobcats lead shrunk to 9-3.
The Cougars struck again by hitting a solo homer in the top of the fifth, making a 9-4 game.
Washington State scored again, hitting another two-run home run, as the Bobcats lead was shrunk down to 9-6.
The Cougars struck again, hitting their third homer of the inning, cutting their deficit down to 9-7.
Galloway got the offense back to rolling in the next at-bat, hitting an RBI single, pushing the lead to 10-7.
Later in the bottom of the sixth, Boles connected for a two-run RBI single, making it a 12-7 game.
Freshman Jackson Cotton hit a leadoff home run to start the bottom of the seventh and push the Bobcats lead to 13-7.
In the top of the eighth, the Cougars loaded up the bases before hitting a two-run RBI double. Later a wild pitch scored another run for Washington State as the Bobcat lead was shrunk to 13-10.
The Cougars added another run following an RBI single, making it a two-run game.
Alec Beversdorf salvaged the inning, ending the Washington State at-bat with three strikeouts, keeping Bobcats lead at 13-11.
As Texas State was unable to add any insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth, the Bobcats turned to Cooper to close out the ninth who struck out the side to seal the win.
“He's got elite stuff and that's why he's our closer,” Trout said. “To be put in that moment, to go in there and just go attack mode, that was really clean. Going in then throwing his off-speed for a strike, and still having the fastball when he needs to.
“That's the goal of a closer. Go close the game down and look like they had no shot when he was up there.”
Texas State will play a double-header on Friday with Game 1 starting at 2 p.m. then Game 2 starting 45 minutes after the completion of Game 1.
