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Texas State catcher Austin Munguia (42) celebrates a hit for a double during the game against Louisiana at Bobcat Ballpark on Saturday, March. 21, 2026 in San Marcos, Texas. (Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman)
SAN MARCOS — Texas State baseball completed a sweep Sunday over No. 25 Louisiana with a 16-6, run-rule win. The Bobcats hit eight home runs, tying the program's single-game record.
Every Bobcat hitter scored a run. Designated hitter Manny Salas led the way with four RBIs on four hits, while infielders Dawson Park and Ethan Farris both had two home runs. Texas State pitcher Jesus Tovar bounced back from last week's disastrous start with his fifth win of the season, allowing three runs on five hits through five innings pitched.
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"I told them, even at Monroe, we're not going to let five games or three games define us," Bobcats head coach Steven Trout said.
Texas State will host UT-Rio Grand Valley for some midweek action before visiting Atlanta, for a series against Georgia State. Here are some takeaways from the Bobcats' recent win.
Slam Marcos strikes back
The air in Bobcat Ballpark was dry, and the wind whipped the flags toward the train tracks. Trout said he knew the offense had a chance to do something special, but even he couldn't have predicted how many balls would leave the park.
Farris kicked things off in the second inning, sending the first pitch he saw out of the stadium. Bobcats infielder Brady Boles knocked a single into right field and outfielder Jackson Cotton went yard the following at-bat, crushing a 473-foot home run to extend the Bobcats' lead to 3-0.
That inning would've been impressive, but the dingers kept coming. Farris hit his second homer of the day in the third, a three-run bomb. Clayton Namken and Chase Mora followed with solo homers of their own, extending Texas State's lead to 8-0. Infielder Dawson Park got in on the action the following inning, hitting his fifth home run of the season to give Texas State an 11-1 lead. Salas hit a three-run shot of his own in the fifth, and Park knocked a solo bomb right after to make the score 15-3.
"It starts with one guy, and then it gets contagious," Farris said. "We're trying to get the next guy up, and we know that the guy behind us can do so much damage ... I think the offense is just buzzing."
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Texas State infielder Dawson Park (3) swings at a pitch during the game against Louisiana at Bobcat Ballpark on Saturday, March. 21, 2026 in San Marcos, Texas. (Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman)
Revitalized pitching
The Bobcats' pitching looked shaky over their five-game losing streak, allowing 60 runs. Against Louisiana, however, they gave up 11 runs over the three-game series.
Trout said the most important stat of the weekend is that Texas State used six pitchers in three games against Louisiana. The Bobcats used six pitchers alone during last Sunday's 16-5 loss to the Warhawks.
"This weekend, we did a better job of finishing hitters," Trout said.
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Texas State head coach Steve Trout talks to an official during the game against Louisiana at Bobcat Ballpark on Saturday, March. 21, 2026 in San Marcos, Texas. (Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman)
Tovar said the key was learning from his mistakes and trusting the process. Although it might've been tempting to make dramatic adjustments to get out of the funk, Tovar knew he didn't have to change much.
"They had a great plan for me, ULM," Tovar said. "I got to learn from the mistakes and not let myself get caught up in all that stuff."
Ethan Farris' electric return
Farris returned to the field after a year-long injury hiatus against ULM, picking up his first-career home run. He tacked on two more Sunday, as the power he picked up during his rehab process is beginning to show.
"I feel like I'm a lot stronger and in really good shape right now," Farris said.
Trout said Farris' talent is obvious. After all, he stuck with Texas State in 2023 despite being drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 18th round of the MLB draft. He's still recovering from last season's arm injury, Trout said, but he doesn't just bolster the Bobcats' batting order. Farris' athleticism and hand-eye coordination give Texas State's defense options.
Trout went so far as to say that at full health, Farris might be the best position player at six positions on the field.
"You can throw him into the outfield, you can throw him at first base," Trout said. "His arm's getting closer. When he's ready to go to the outfield, it would give us another way to move guys around."
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