SAN ANTONIO — Texas State scored five runs in the 11th inning to break an 8-8 tie and the Bobcats posted a 13-8 victory at UTSA on Saturday at Roadrunner Field.
The Roadrunners (25-21, 9-10 WAC) forced extra innings with a three-run eighth, but three frames later, Texas State (22-24, 12-8 WAC) received a go-ahead, run-scoring single from Andrew Stumph to start the five-run outburst.
The Bobcats added four more runs, including a two-run single by Colby Targun, to put the game out of reach.
Hunter Lemke (1-2) retired the side UTSA in order in the bottom of the stanza and sat down the last 10 batters he faced. He struck out seven in his four scoreless relief innings.
Texas State, which collected 14 hits on the day, had five batters post two knocks apiece. Garrett Mattlage was 2-for-6 with three RBIs, while Nick Smelser went 2-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs. Morgan Mickan added a three-run homer in the fourth and drove in four runners on the day.
The Roadrunners posted a dozen hits and Daniel Rockett led the way by going 3-for-6 with four RBIs.
The Bobcats had a 4-2 lead in the fifth before three errors led to a run for UTSA in the bottom half of the frame.
Texas State quickly got the run back on Smelser's homer, but the Roadrunners answered with two marks in their half of the inning to things up at five.
After a scoreless stanza, both teams scored three runs in the eighth.
The Bobcats plated three unearned tallies after a fielding error by the Birds extended the inning, but UTSA again pulled even after sending all nine men to the plate.
UTSA loaded the bases in the eighth against Donnie Hart before Rockett drove in two with a single to cut the lead to one. Lemke then entered the game and RJ Perucki moved both Rockett and Riley Good, who was walked, into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. After Mike Warren was intentionally walked, John Bormann chopped a grounder to shortstop and Texas State was unable to complete the double play, which allowed Good to score the tying run. Lemke then walked Rodney Garza but struck out John Welborn to leave the bases loaded.
Lemke stymied the Roadrunners over the next three innings by retiring the next nine hitters in order, including six by strikeout, to close out the contest.
Matt Sims (3-2) gave up three runs on two hits in his 2.2 frames of work.
Sunday's rubber game will be played at 1 p.m.. UTSA will send left-hander Nolan Trabanino (3-3, 5.29 ERA), while Texas State is expected to start righty Mitchell Pitts (2-3, 5.08 ERA).