Trojans Claim Series Against Bobcats With 7-4 Win

SAN MARCOS, Texas - Little Rock notched its fourth win in a row while claiming its fourth-straight series in the process with a 7-4 win over Texas State Friday night at Bobcat Ballpark. The Trojans are now are 16-10 on the year while retaining the first place position in the Sun Belt Western division with a 6-2 record in the conference.
 
With the win, Little Rock notched its 10th victory in the last 12 games and improves to 11-4 all-time against the Bobcats as the Trojans have still never lost a series to Texas State.
 
Little Rock's bats began the game hot, racing out to a 6-0 lead after three innings. The scoring began quickly in the top of the first inning as Chase Coker, the second batter of the game, knocked a solo home run to left, putting the Trojans up 1-0.
 
The Trojans added another in the top of the second as a Ryan Benavidez knocked an RBI single to left, scoring Riley Pittman to extend their lead to 2-0.
 
Little Rock then broke the game open in the third, scoring four runs and pushing its lead to six runs. The Trojans registered five-straight hits, beginning with singles from Matt Merino and Troy Alexander to put two runners on. Kale Emshoff then found a hole on the left side, scoring Merino for the third run of the game.
 
Pittman then blasted a double to center, scoring Alexander, followed by an RBI single from Nick Perez to bring Emshoff home. Benavidez drew a five-pitch walk to load the bases, then Marcus Ragan drew another walk on a seven-pitch at-bat, allowing Pittman to jog home for the Trojans' sixth run.
 
Texas State answered with two in the bottom of the third, trimming the lead to 6-2, and it remained that way until the seventh when Perez was able to bring Emshoff home and giving Little Rock the 7-2 lead. A two-RBI single by the Bobcats in the bottom of the seventh cut the lead to 7-4, but that was as close as Texas State would get as the Trojan bullpen closed the door on the rally attempt.
 
Little Rock's pitching staff frustrated the Bobcats all evening, holding Texas State to just two hits on the day. Pablo Ortiz gets the win in his first start as a Trojan. After only throwing 8.0 innings total heading into this game, Ortiz lasted 5.0 innings on the evening getting three strikeouts and allowed two runs off of one hits and two walks.
 
Hayden Arnold and Nick Perez combined to pitch three innings, allowing two runs on one hit, setting up closer Justin Garcia in the ninth. Garcia struck out two of the three Bobcats he faced, earning his seventh save of the year.
 
A number of offensive streaks continued for Little Rock as Coker, Alexander and Gann all extended their hitting streaks to six games. The trio each went 1-for-5, driving in a pair of runs while scoring two runs between them.
 
Pittman had the hot bat for the Trojans, going 3-for-4 from the plate with an RBI and two runs scored. Merino and Emshoff both posted 2-for-5 outings for Little Rock, scoring a combined three runs as Little Rock pounded out 12 hits, compared to just the two for the Bobcats.
 
Little Rock will now try for the series sweep in game three Saturday, getting underway at 1 p.m. from Bobcat Ballpark.
 
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