Texas State Opens Title Defense with Run-Rule Win vs. SFA
SAN MARCOS, Texas - No. 3 seed Texas State recorded its first
run-rule victory of the season in an 11-1 victory over No. 6 seed Stephen F.
Austin Wednesday in the first round of the 2012 Southland Conference Baseball
Tournament at Bobcat Ballpark.
Holding a 10-1 lead heading to the bottom of the seventh inning,
Morgan Mickan tripled to left field with one out to put the winning run 90 feet
away. Three batters later, Colby Targun stood on as the Stephen F. Austin
catcher allowed a pitch to get past him to the backstop and let Mickan scamper
home for the walk-off run. The run was the fourth scored on the afternoon by
Mickan who finished the game 3 for 5 with a double and a triple.
Jeff McVaney finished the game 2 for 2 with a walk, a pair of runs
scored, an RBI and a stolen base while extending his streak of consecutive
at-bats with a hit to seven. He went 5 for 5 in the regular season finale
before being perfect again in Wednesday's game. McVaney also had his 20th
double of the season to put him tied for third place in doubles in a season at
Texas State.
Tyler Sibley went 2 for 5 with a pair of runs scored, while Casey
Kalenkosky went 1 for 3 with a home run. Targun finished 1 for 2 with a run
scored and two RBIs, while Isaac Nuti went 1 for 3 with two RBI.
Kalenkosky gave the Bobcats a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first
inning when he crushed the first pitch he saw over the fence in left field for
his team-leading 10th home run of the season. Targun then followed with a walk
and came home two batters later on an RBI single up the middle from fellow-freshman
Brooks Orton that make the score 3-0 Bobcats after one inning.
After SFA scored one in the top of the second inning, the Bobcats
responded with a four-spot in the bottom of the second to take a 7-1 advantage.
Texas State batted around for the second straight inning as the inning was
highlighted by a two-RBI single from Nuti.
McVaney hit an RBI double in the third inning to make the score
8-1 before Targun's two-run single in the fifth inning put Texas State in
position for its first run-rule victory of the season.
Not to be outdone by the offense, recently named Southland
Conference Pitcher of the Year Travis Ballew showed why he earned that honor as
he tossed his fourth complete game of the season. Ballew (11-4) struck out five
and limited the visitors to just one run on seven hits for the game.
Texas State improved to 32-22 overall this season with the
victory. Meanwhile, Chase Greening (5-7) took the loss as Stephen F. Austin
dropped to 23-32 overall.
The Bobcats will look to extend their win streak to four games
Thursday when the team plays the winner between Southeastern Louisiana and
Central Arkansas at 7 p.m. at Bobcat Ballpark. Stephen F. Austin awaits the
loser of that game in an elimination game Thursday at noon.
Postgame Quotes
Texas
State coach Ty Harrington
On
the good start to the tournament
"I think any coach would tell you that they like to win game one.
It's been awhile since we've won game one in this tournament. I thought today
we had tremendous offensive focus and we were able to maintain offensive
momentum. Hopefully we will carry it in to the rest of the tournament."
On
the team's play and confidence going into game two
"Hopefully our whole crowd will come out tomorrow night. They've
been good all year long. Our support has been unbelievable. For us right now, I
thought Travis Ballew was good enough. Then, went through a stretch where he
lost his breaker there for a little bit, but he's got such tremendous
competitiveness about him. Garrett Mattlage made two really tremendous double
plays and Morgan Mickan made two great catches. I thought we played really good
defense. I was pleased overall and was impressed with our momentum."
On
Casey Kalenkosky's first inning home run
"I thought 'Ory' set a good tone for us. Everybody in the dugout
felt really good after that. I think he felt better about what he's doing too.
That's the kind of performance we're used to seeing from him."
Texas
State designated hitter Colby Targun
On
this kind of momentum after game one
"It's good to get the bats rolling early in the tournament and
save some pitching. Our confidence is definitely up."
On
not having to play until 7 p.m. tomorrow
"It's nice to get some rest. I know it's tough coming out of the
loser's bracket so it's to be in the winner's bracket. Hopefully it works out
for us getting ahead in this tournament."