It wasn’t an identical game as Friday night with a different winner, but it was pretty close.
On Saturday, the crucial two-out plays came in two different innings by the same hitter.
The result was Texas State claiming a 2-0 win over UL at Russo Park to even the series after the Ragin' Cajuns had won 2-0 on Friday night.
“It was wild, man,” UL coach Matt Deggs said. “I don’t know if I’ve ever seen anything like that — back-to-back games with four lefties squaring off like that in these conditions. They were able to come up with a big hit (Saturday).”
On Friday night, UL won the opener when Carson Hepworth hit a two-out, two-run homer to left in the bottom of the eighth.
A strong wind was blowing in for the second straight game Saturday, making it tough on the two offenses for the second straight day.
The two teams combined for five hits Friday. On Saturday, Texas State got seven hits compared to four for UL.
“There were a lot of balls that we leaped on,” Deggs said. “It was unfortunate hitting into three double plays, but we’ll bounce back tomorrow. It’ll be a brand-new day tomorrow with new conditions.
“It (the wind) beats up on you. Higgy (Conor Higgs) at least had two jacks today (that the wind held up). It can beat up on you mentally.”
The game was scoreless until the seventh inning when 8-hole hitter Samson Pugh hit a groundball through the left side with two outs for a 1-0 lead.
It was Pugh again in the ninth with a two-out RBI double to give the visiting Bobcats a 2-0 lead.
That made a winner out of Texas State starter Jesus Tovar, who hurled a four-hit shutout with no walks and two strikeouts.
UL starter Andrew Herrmann was two outs shy of a complete game, giving up two runs on six hits, three walks and four strikeouts in 8⅓ innings. Reliever Tate Hess gave up the double in the ninth.
“They matched each other, but I think the biggest difference is we walked three, and he (Tovar) didn’t walk any,” said Deggs, who lamented getting a runner thrown out at third on a base hit to right to end the seventh.
“That was big right there,” he said. “We’ll never know what would have happened. Stupid, stupid, just trying to force the issue. I was waving him. It is what it is. It’s not smart making an out right there with two outs. I was trying to set up a first and third.”
The rubber game of the series is scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday, and Deggs is convinced the wind will be blowing in the opposite direction.
“I’ll bet you whatever you want to bet on it,” Deggs joked. “I’m sure both teams do (have arms left). It’ll come down to filling up that strike zone and making plays. The ball will be jumping a little bit different tomorrow.”
