SAN MARCOS, Texas (March 5, 2026) – Washington State brought the go-ahead run to the plate in the eighth inning but Texas State held on for a 13-11 win in the first of four games at Bobcat Ballpark Thursday evening.
 
The Cougars recorded season-highs of four home runs and 14 hits while four players recorded multiple-hit games including three-hit efforts by Trevor Smith and Gavin Roy. Alexandre Giguère and Smith each hit their first career homers while Ryan Skjonsby and Max Hartman each hit their second of the season.
 
Texas State, who will join the Pac-12 Conference this fall, took advantage of some free passes and built a big lead with a five-run second and four-run fourth inning. The Cougars rallied back with two runs in the fourth, four in the fifth to make it a two-run game and again scored four in the eighth to bring the potential go-ahead run to the plate but the Bobcats ended the threat with a pair of strikeouts. WSU outhit Texas State 14-13 but the Bobcats worked 10 walks throughout the series-opener.
 
KEY MOMENTS OF THE GAME
Texas State built a 9-1 lead after a five-run second inning and four-run third inning but the Cougars answered with the long ball. Skjonsby hit a solo shot off the scoreboard in right field in the fourth inning before Giguère, Smith and Hartman all homered in a four-run fifth inning to make it a two-run game.
 
Texas State answered with a run in the bottom of the fifth inning, two more in the sixth and one more in the seventh to build a 13-7 advantage.
 
In the eighth, Dane Chavez blooped a bases-loaded double down the left field line, a run scored on a wild pitch and Roy lined a single into centerfield to score Chavez, cutting the TSU lead to 13-11. Smith followed with a walk to put runners on first and second with one out but the Bobcat bullpen ended the threat with a pair of strikeouts.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Trevor Smith recorded his 3rd 3-hit game of the season
Smith reached base 4 times, 3 hits and a walk
Brock Cross singled to right in the 8th inning for his 1st career hit
Gavin Roy recorded his 3rd 3-hit game of the season
Dillon O’Neil recorded a career-high 3 strikeouts
Gavin Derr recorded the final 2 outs of the 8th inning
 
NEXT UP
Due to inclement weather in the forecast this weekend, the two teams will play a doubleheader Friday starting at Noon (PT). Saturday’s finale is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. (PT).