Aggies defeat Cats in offensive battle

Texas State (19-10) battled all night with Texas A&M (18-11) on Tuesday at Blue Bell Park but came up short in a 10-9 contest.

Picking up the win was Brandyn Garcia (1-0) after throwing 1.1 scoreless innings with two strikeouts while Chris Cortez earned his first save of the season as he struck out two over the final 1.2 frames. Taking the loss was Triston Dixon after allowing the final run of the game in an inning of action out of the bullpen.

Jonathan Martinez finished with two strikeouts in 2.0 scoreless innings of relief. Jack Stroud totaled three strikeouts as he threw 1.2 shutouts frames. Also totaling two strikeouts on the evening was Austin Smith.

At the plate, Davis Powell went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and a double. Daylan Pena was the only other Bobcat with two base knocks. Both he and Ryan Leary drove in four runs on the evening.

Patience at the plate saw the Bobcats load the bases with a walk and backto- back singles by Jose Gonzalez and Powell. Another free pass was drawn by Pena to bring home the first run of the game. Following two strikeouts, Leary sent the first pitch he saw over the scoreboard for a grand slam that traveled 437 feet to increase the advantage to 5-0.

The Aggies answered back in the bottom of the frame with five runs of their own to tie the game.

With one gone in the fourth, Ben McClain hit the ball off the plate, which took a high hop over the second baseman. The senior was able to get all the way to second for a double. Pena followed with a single through the left side that put runners on the corners but both would be stranded.

Texas A&M would take the lead in the bottom of the frame with a tworun homer off the bat of Hunter Haas and extend it an inning later with another two-run round tripper, this time from Jordan Thompson.

A fielding error and two walks loaded the bases for Texas State in the sixth. Pena laced an 0-1 offering to left center for a bases clearing double to cut the deficit to a run. Cade Manning led off the seventh with a deep shot to centerfield that bounced off the top of the wall and over for his seventh long ball of the year to tie the game at 9-9.

The Aggies answered back with a run in the next half inning to retake the lead.

Powell started the eighth with a double to left center as he just missed a home run. However, he ended up stranded on third as the next three batters were retired in the final gasp for TXST.

Next up is a trip to South Alabama for a three-game series against the Jaguars.

First pitch is at 6:30 p.m. Thursday night.