Bobcats win eighth in a row, complete sweep of Red Wolves

Texas State Baseball completed its sweep over Arkansas State on the road this weekend, coming from behind to win all three games.

After suffering a 13-7 loss on Friday, the Red Wolves (4-13, 0-3 Sun Belt) came out with an early run on Saturday, going up 1-0 in the bottom of the second. But the Bobcats responded immediately. Senior centerfielder Isaiah Ortega-Jones led off the top of the third with a double to left center. Senior shortstop Dalton Shuffield followed it up two at-bats later with another double to send Ortega-Jones home, tying the game up. Senior designated hitter Wesley Faison singled up the middle to score Shuffield and take a 2-1 lead.

Neither team scored the rest of the way, giving the maroon and gold a 2-1 victory. Sophomore right-handed pitcher Levi Wells (3-0) earned the win, giving up four hits, two walks and one run while striking out six in 5.2 innings of work. Senior closer Tristan Stivors earned his fifth save of the year, giving up just one hit in the final two innings of the game.

With the series already decided, Texas State entered Sunday’s game looking to clinch the sweep. Senior right fielder John Wuthrich began the first inning reaching first after striking out on a wild pitch, then ran to second on a throwing error. Junior left fielder Jose Gonzalez plated him with a single to the right side.

Arkansas State scored two in the bottom of the first to take the lead. Freshman first baseman Daylan Pena and Shuffield each swung for doubles in the top of the third, allowing Pena to knot the game up at 2-2, but the hosts added another two scores in the bottom frame to go back in front. Neither team scored over the next four innings.

Pena finally broke the cold spell in the top of the eighth, leading off with a single to centerfield. Shuffield launched a home run over the left field fence two at-bats later, tying the game once again. The Red Wolves singled in the bottom of the inning but couldn’t advance the runner, leaving the score at 4-4 heading into the ninth.

Senior second baseman Cameron Gibbons led off with a single up the middle and attempted to steal second base. Arkansas State’s pickoff missed the mark and Gibbons rounded to third on the error. Ortega-Jones drove him in on a double down the right field line and the visitors held the Red Wolves scoreless in the bottom of the inning to seal a 5-4 win and the series sweep.

Stivors (2-0) earned his second win of the year, closing out the final 2.0 innings, giving up two hits, no walks and no runs and striking out two.

The Bobcats (21-3, 3-0 Sun Belt) are now on an eight-game winning streak and have already matched their win total from the 2021 season. They’ll look to keep the streak alive on Tuesday when they travel to play Incarnate Word (9-8) at 6:30 p.m. in San Antonio.