May 10, 2008

Box Score

Texas State mathematically eliminated McNeese State from Southland Conference baseball post season consideration by beating the Cowboys 26-4 here Saturday afternoon.

It was the second straight win by the Bobcats over the Cowboys. They are now 26-23 overall and 16-10 in league play while McNeese is 13-38 and 7-19. The two teams play a third and final game at 1 p.m. on Sunday.

The loss knocked the Cowboys out of a chance at a berth in the league's post season tournament. They needed to win their last five games to have a shot at a spot.

Texas State wasted little time in taking the lead in Saturday's game. The Bobcats scored thee runs in both the first and second innings and then plated eight runs in the third. A leadoff home run by Thomas Field opened the game and then he belted another homer in the second inning and that was followed by a two run homer by Paul Goldschmidt in the same inning.

In the third inning, Texas State scored its eight runs on seven hits. Also hitting a home run for the Bobcats was Lance Loftin in the fourth inning.

Texas State scored four runs in the fourth, six in the fifth and two in the seventh, the game being called after seven innings.

McNeese got solo runs in the first, third, fourth and sixth innings.

Taylor Freeman plated one run, Justin Beitzel another and Channing Kile and Keith Patnode also had RBIs. McNeese had only five hits in the game and no Cowboy had more than one.

Scott Holstein, who started the game for the Cowboys, was tagged with the loss, his seventh against two victories. He gave up nine hits and 10 runs (all earned) in 2.1 innings.

Steven Siers collected the victory for Texas State, pitching six innings of five hit, four run ball.