June 1st, 2010
Lamar eliminates Texas State baseball from Southland tourney

SUBMITTED REPORT

CORPUS CHRISTI — In Texas State’s sixth game of the Southland Conference tournament, a depleted Bobcat team pulled together for one final effort, but the squad fell victim to a red-hot Lamar ballclub in a 17-7 decision Saturday night at Whataburger Field in the championship game of the 2010 Southland Conference Tournament.

“Even though the score may not reflect it, we played with tremendous heart and effort,” said head coach Ty Harrington. “Our guys pulled together for each other and I’m very proud of them.”

The loss marks the second-straight year Texas State earned the runner-up trophy from the league. The Bobcats (38-22) landed five players on the all-tournament team: Clint Vest (2B), Kyle Kubitza (3B), Jason Martinson (SS), Tyler Sibley (OF) and Jeff McVaney (DH).

For Lamar (35-24), the win marks the third tournament championship and first since 2004. Lamar outhit Texas State 22-11 and took advantage of four Bobcat errors. Of the team’s 17 runs, 11 were unearned.

The Cardinals put a run on the board in the bottom of the first, but timely hitting from the Bobcats broke open the game. In the top of the second, a double play ball erased the Bobcats from the bases and Matison Smith tossed a four-pitch walk to Andrew Stump with two outs. A wild pitch pushed the freshman to second base and Clint Vest drilled a base hit into right field giving Stumph time to cross the plate and tie the game. Laurn Randell rattled off another base hit to shift Vest and Tyler Sibley brought the two upper classmen home on a double to left center, giving Texas State a 4-1 lead.

Lamar had an answer for Texas State’s big inning, sending five unearned runs across after a Bobcat error led off the frame to take over the lead.

Texas State’s fielding came back to haunt the team in the fourth when a wild pitch and throwing error allowed two LU runs to cross and grow the margin to 8-4.

However, the tables turned and the Cardinals mimicked the same miscues from the Bobcats in the top of the fifth and Texas State managed to score three runs to make it an 8-7 ball game in favor of the Cards.

That would be all the Bobcats could manage in its second game of the day. Texas State sifted through five pitchers to complete the game, while Lamar used two to claim the victory.

McVaney suffered the loss and fell to 2-1, while Blake Ford picked up his third win of the season.

— FROM TEXAS STATE SPORTS INFORMATION