SAN MARCOS, TEXAS – Coastal Carolina's offense, which had scored 33 runs combined over its last two games, was held to just four runs on three hits on Friday night in a 7-4 loss on the road at No. 9/20 Texas State in San Marcos, Texas.
 
The loss dropped CCU to 12-8-1 overall and 1-2-1 in the Sun Belt, while the Bobcats moved to 19-4 overall and 4-0 in league play with the win. The loss also snapped the Chants' winning streak over the Bobcats at seven-straight.
 
Both starters pitched well, yet neither one of them factored in the decision. CCU's Nick Parker threw 5.0-plus innings, giving up three runs on six hits, one walk, and three strikeouts, while Texas State's Zeke Wood allowed one run on zero hits, five walks, and five strikeouts in 4.0-plus innings.
 
Coastal reliever Matt Joyce (4-1) suffered his first loss of the season, as he surrendered two runs on one hit and one walk over 1.1 innings pitched, while both Jacob Maton (0.2 IP, 2 hits, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 K) and Teddy Sharkey (1.0 IP, 1 hit, 1 R, 1 ER) pitched the final two innings in the loss.
 
Texas State reliever Triston Dixon (3-0) earned the win out of the bullpen despite giving up three runs on two hits, one walk, and three strikeouts over 3.0 innings, while Tristan Stivers (6) picked up his sixth save of the season with 2.0-scoreless innings.
 
Coastal's offense was a three-run home run from super senior Matt McDermott (1-for-2, HR, SAC, 3 RBIs, run), singles from both Dale Thomas (1-for-3, BB) and Zack Beach (1-for-3, BB, 2 runs), and six walks.
 
TXST had 10 hits on the night led by lead-off hitter Ben McClain (2-for-3, HR, 2B, 3 RBIs, 3 runs), who drove in a game-high three RBIs. Dalton Pena (2-for-4, HR, 2 RBIs, run) and Dalton Shuffield (2-for-4, 3B, run) each had two hits in the three and four spots in the lineup.
 
The Bobcats pounced out to an early lead in the bottom of the first inning, as the lead-off hitter McClain hit a solo home run over the wall in right field to put the home team on top 1-0 one batter into the game.
 
Texas State added to its lead two innings later, again by way of the long ball, as Pena hit a two-out, two-run home run just over the wall in right-center field to extend the lead to 3-0 through three innings of play.
 
The Chanticleers threatened for the first time in the game in the top of the fourth, as the Bobcats' Wood loaded the bases on three consecutive one-out walks. However, the next two Chants struck out and popped out to leave the bases loaded.
 
After catcher Tanner Garrison helped end the Bobcats' inning in the bottom of the fourth by throwing out a would-be base stealer, the Chanticleers took advantage of back-to-back walks and a sacrifice bunt to score one run in the top of the fifth on an RBI-ground ball to second base from Austin White to cut the Texas State lead to 3-1.
 
Parker then pitched around a walk and a stolen base in the bottom of the fifth, while Joyce came into the game to get a ground out and a 5-4-3 double-play ball in the bottom of the sixth to keep the Chants in striking distance at 3-1.
 
The pitching proved to be big, as the Chanticleers took advantage of a lead-off walk in the bottom of the seventh, followed by their first hit of the game on a single from Beach, to set up McDermott for a three-run home run over the left-field wall to push the visitors in front at 4-3 heading into the seventh-inning stretch.
 
However, the Bobcats found their offense again in the bottom half of the inning, as McClain struck again with a two-out, two-run double off the left-field wall to put the home team back in front at 5-4.
 
The very next hitter, John Wuthrich, lined a single up the middle to plate McClain and give the Bobcats a two-run lead at 6-4 with two innings left to play.
 
The Bobcats added to their lead in the eighth inning on a lead-off triple from Dalton Shuffield and a sacrifice fly by Justin Thompson to put the score at 7-4 heading into the ninth inning.
 
Stivers would send the Chants down in order in the top of the ninth to give the home team the 7-4 series-opening win.
 
The Chanticleers stranded four runners on base, compared to the Bobcats' three.
 
CCU also turned two double plays in the field to give them 20 on the season.
 
Coastal and Texas State will play game two of the three-game conference series tomorrow afternoon with the first pitch set for 3:30 p.m. ET.

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