Bobcats prevail in 10-inning powerfest

The University of Central Arkansas Bears hit a season-high five home runs but it was defensive lapses that cost them in a 12-11, 10-inning loss to Texas State in Southland Conference baseball action Saturday at Bear Stadium.

The Bears tied the game at 11-11 with back-to-back home runs by Jonathan Yerby and Blake Roberts on the first two pitches of the ninth inning from Texas State closer Michael Russo.

In a game that featured 10 home runs and 34 combined hits, it eventually came down to a defensive play for the Bears (14-14, 6-8). With one out in the 10th, Tyler Sibley beat out an infield and stole second base. Brett Atwood added another infield single that put runners on second and third with one out. UCA reliever Michael Wild then got TSU slugger Paul Goldschmidt, who had two home runs in the game, to hit a ground ball to shortstop. Bobby Pritchett bobbled the ball just long enough to rule out the double play, allowing Sibley to score what turned out to be the winning run.

The Bears put one runner on base in the 10th but Dillon Smith, who was four for six with a home run and two RBI, hit into a double play to end the game.

UCA got a two-run home run from Smith in the first inning, a leadoff shot from Tye Throneberry in the second and a three-run blast from Zack Dickson in the fourth. Goldschmidt had two long blasts for the Bobcats (19-9, 10-4), a three-run shot to center in the second inning and a solo home run in the sixth. Kyle Livingstone, Lance Loftin and Jordan Kopycinski added the other home runs for Texas State.

Wild (2-1) took the loss, while Russo (1-2) got the win with two innings of relief. Huffman finished three for five for UCA, while Yerby, Roberts and Wagner all had two hits each. Goldschmidt was three for six with six RBI for the Bobcats. Game 3 of the series is set for 1 today.