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COLLEGE STATION — As Texas State baseball entered the ninth inning Friday night in the College Station Regional against USC, infielder Chase Mora said he hadn’t had a great game at third base by his standards.
In fact, head coach Steven Trout said following the 5-4 win that the Bobcats (37-24) didn’t play well overall. But following Mora’s go-ahead, two-run home run and his diving catch for the third out in the ninth, everything faded away.
MORE:Bobcats upset Trojans behind go-ahead, 9th-inning home run
Pandemonium ensued in the stands. Inflatable green aliens were tossed into the air. USC hitter Dean Carpentier flipped his bat in utter disbelief. The Trojans (43-16) stranded 13 runners and had every right to take home the victory.
“We just felt like we were surviving all night long,” Trout said. “A lot of times our guys could’ve been down and out. They could’ve given in.”
They didn’t.
Texas State infielder Chase Mora (2) hits a pitch during the game against Niagara University at Bobcat Ballpark on Saturday, February. 14, 2026 in San Marcos, Texas. (Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman)
Texas State’s pitching staff struggled to keep USC off the bases, handing out four walks and hitting three batters. So when the seventh rolled around, Trout elected to send right-hander Wade Cooper to the mound with the game tied at three.
The fearless freshman immediately challenged the Trojans, striking out two batters in his first inning of work. In the following frame, Cooper left a cutter in the middle of the plate. USC infielder Adrien Lopez pounced, hammering the weak pitch for a lead-taking solo home run.
Cooper said his faith in Texas State remained strong. Mora’s homer gave Cooper the chance he needed to close out the game. Cooper did just that, allowing one run in a three-inning save.
“I have so much gratitude to this coaching staff that they trust me to have the ball in big moments like this,” Cooper said.
MORE:Bobcats upset Trojans behind go-ahead, 9th-inning home run
MORE:Texas A&M, USC are stiff tests in College Station Regional
USC nearly broke Texas State even earlier. In the sixth inning with two-outs, Trojans outfielder Kevin Takeuchi barrelled a pitch deep into right field. Rashawn Galloway, in right field and in his last year with Texas State, refused to hold anything back.
Galloway sprinted recklessly toward the wall. Unafraid of his own well-being, he caught the ball before slamming into the fence and collapsing in pain.
The senior eventually stood up and shook off the impact. Trout said an X-Ray revealed nothing was broken. Galloway’s gutsy effort stranded Abbrie Covarrubias at third base and kept the game tied at three.
Texas State catcher Austin Munguia (42) celebrates a home run hit by catcher Rashawn Galloway (7) during the game against Louisiana at Bobcat Ballpark on Saturday, March. 21, 2026 in San Marcos, Texas. (Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman)
“The guy literally ran through a wall to save the game,” Trout said.
Evening the game at three, however, required an unlikely hero. Texas State infielder Brady Boles had struggled at shortstop, making three errors in his past four starts. Trout switched him to second base in favor of Justin Vossos who earned another error after he gave up an unearned run in the second inning.
Trout moved Boles back to second in hopes that some of the pressure that had been building would dissipate. The decision immediately paid dividends.
Texas State trailed 3-1 and faced two outs in the fifth. Boles hit a ball sky-high into left field, eventually going over the wall for a two-run shot.
“Sometimes when you free your guys up and take a little bit of the pressure off them, they play more free,” Trout said.
Texas State’s prowess for the long ball has earned it the “Slam Marcos” moniker. And although it hit two against USC, it’s outgrown that name.
The Bobcats have made it to where they are by hitting their fair share of dingers, to be clear. But in the recent games where the lights have shone brightest — the series finale against Marshall, the midweek win over Baylor, the first Sun Belt Tournament game versus Louisiana and now USC — Texas State has made a living on persevering.
Yesterday doesn’t matter. Neither does the week before. The Bobcats can take pride in what they’ve accomplished, but they’ve shown an outstanding ability to recover from the toughest of blows. Put simply, don’t count out the ‘Cats Saturday against Texas A&M.
They’ll do whatever it takes to win.
“All we need is one pitch. One pitch to win a game,” Mora said.
Texas State will take on Texas A&M at 8 p.m. Saturday at Blue Bell Park,
Continue reading...
In fact, head coach Steven Trout said following the 5-4 win that the Bobcats (37-24) didn’t play well overall. But following Mora’s go-ahead, two-run home run and his diving catch for the third out in the ninth, everything faded away.
MORE:Bobcats upset Trojans behind go-ahead, 9th-inning home run
Pandemonium ensued in the stands. Inflatable green aliens were tossed into the air. USC hitter Dean Carpentier flipped his bat in utter disbelief. The Trojans (43-16) stranded 13 runners and had every right to take home the victory.
“We just felt like we were surviving all night long,” Trout said. “A lot of times our guys could’ve been down and out. They could’ve given in.”
They didn’t.
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Texas State infielder Chase Mora (2) hits a pitch during the game against Niagara University at Bobcat Ballpark on Saturday, February. 14, 2026 in San Marcos, Texas. (Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman)
Refusing to give in
Texas State’s pitching staff struggled to keep USC off the bases, handing out four walks and hitting three batters. So when the seventh rolled around, Trout elected to send right-hander Wade Cooper to the mound with the game tied at three.
The fearless freshman immediately challenged the Trojans, striking out two batters in his first inning of work. In the following frame, Cooper left a cutter in the middle of the plate. USC infielder Adrien Lopez pounced, hammering the weak pitch for a lead-taking solo home run.
Cooper said his faith in Texas State remained strong. Mora’s homer gave Cooper the chance he needed to close out the game. Cooper did just that, allowing one run in a three-inning save.
“I have so much gratitude to this coaching staff that they trust me to have the ball in big moments like this,” Cooper said.
MORE:Bobcats upset Trojans behind go-ahead, 9th-inning home run
MORE:Texas A&M, USC are stiff tests in College Station Regional
USC nearly broke Texas State even earlier. In the sixth inning with two-outs, Trojans outfielder Kevin Takeuchi barrelled a pitch deep into right field. Rashawn Galloway, in right field and in his last year with Texas State, refused to hold anything back.
Galloway sprinted recklessly toward the wall. Unafraid of his own well-being, he caught the ball before slamming into the fence and collapsing in pain.
The senior eventually stood up and shook off the impact. Trout said an X-Ray revealed nothing was broken. Galloway’s gutsy effort stranded Abbrie Covarrubias at third base and kept the game tied at three.
You must be registered for see images attach
Texas State catcher Austin Munguia (42) celebrates a home run hit by catcher Rashawn Galloway (7) during the game against Louisiana at Bobcat Ballpark on Saturday, March. 21, 2026 in San Marcos, Texas. (Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman)
“The guy literally ran through a wall to save the game,” Trout said.
Evening the game at three, however, required an unlikely hero. Texas State infielder Brady Boles had struggled at shortstop, making three errors in his past four starts. Trout switched him to second base in favor of Justin Vossos who earned another error after he gave up an unearned run in the second inning.
Trout moved Boles back to second in hopes that some of the pressure that had been building would dissipate. The decision immediately paid dividends.
Texas State trailed 3-1 and faced two outs in the fifth. Boles hit a ball sky-high into left field, eventually going over the wall for a two-run shot.
“Sometimes when you free your guys up and take a little bit of the pressure off them, they play more free,” Trout said.
Cardiac ‘Cats
Texas State’s prowess for the long ball has earned it the “Slam Marcos” moniker. And although it hit two against USC, it’s outgrown that name.
The Bobcats have made it to where they are by hitting their fair share of dingers, to be clear. But in the recent games where the lights have shone brightest — the series finale against Marshall, the midweek win over Baylor, the first Sun Belt Tournament game versus Louisiana and now USC — Texas State has made a living on persevering.
Yesterday doesn’t matter. Neither does the week before. The Bobcats can take pride in what they’ve accomplished, but they’ve shown an outstanding ability to recover from the toughest of blows. Put simply, don’t count out the ‘Cats Saturday against Texas A&M.
They’ll do whatever it takes to win.
“All we need is one pitch. One pitch to win a game,” Mora said.
Texas State will take on Texas A&M at 8 p.m. Saturday at Blue Bell Park,
Continue reading...
