The Youngstown State baseball team fell to Texas State by a final score of 20-2 in the 2024 season opener for both teams on Friday evening at Bobcat Ballpark in San Marcos, Texas.
Junior outfielder Teddy Ruffner hit his first-career home run and finished with two RBIs in his first game as a Penguin. Freshman right-hander Colin Casteel provided YSU a strong effort out of the bullpen, tossing three straight scoreless frames during his 5.1 innings on the mound.
The Bobcats scored 17 runs over their first three at bats to jump ahead in the first-ever meeting between the two programs. YSU posted single runs in the sixth and the eighth while Texas State scored once in the seventh and twice in the eighth.
Ruffner finished 1-for-3 at the plate with a solo home run and two RBIs while freshman Derrick Tarpley Jr. recorded the first hit of his collegiate career with an infield single.
Casteel allowed four runs, three of which were earned, on three hits with two strikeouts in his first-career appearance. The Butler, Pa., native retired the side in order in the fourth and faced the minimum in the fifth while holding the Bobcats scoreless for three consecutive frames.
YSU starter Jacob Gehring suffered the loss after allowing seven runs on five hits in one inning of work. Aidan English was responsible seven runs, five of them earned, on four hits in two thirds of an inning. Freshman right-hander Gavin Wilms surrendered two runs on three hits with a pair of strikeouts in one inning of relief. The Salem, Ohio, native struck out the first batter he faced in his collegiate debut.
Texas State struck for seven runs in the bottom of the first inning to jump in front. Ryne Farber hit a leadoff single before Alec Patino and Rashawn Galloway drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. Chase Mora delivered an RBI single, Patino scored on a balk and Daylan Pena followed with a two-run double to right center field. After Pena advanced to third on a passed ball, Cade Manning brought him home with a sacrifice fly to give the home team a five-run lead. Aaron Lugo and Ian Collier then hit back-to-back solo home runs to give the Bobcats a 7-0 advantage.
Texas State added seven runs in the bottom of the second inning to increase its lead to 14-0. Patino hit a leadoff single and scored on a misplayed flyball to right field before Manning hit a grand slam to right field. Davis Powell and Galloway each hit RBI singles for the final two runs of the inning. The Bobcats plated three runs on a single hit in the home half of the third inning to push their lead to 17-0. Collier drove in a pair of runs with a bases-loaded single, and Powell drove in a run with a sacrifice fly when he flied into an 8-5 double play.
Youngstown State scored its first run of the season in the top of the sixth inning when RJ Sherwood reached third on a dropped fly ball in right field and scored on a sacrifice fly from Ruffner.
Texas State got back on the board in the bottom of the seventh with a solo home from Samson Pugh. Ruffner's solo home run for the Penguins came with two outs in the top of the eighth, and a two-run home run from Texas State's Cameron Thompson in the bottom of the eighth provided the final margin.
Texas State starter Austin Eaton was awarded the victory after allowing one hit and striking out four batters over four innings. Five different Bobcat relievers came on to throw a single inning out of the bullpen after Eaton departed.
The Penguins and Bobcats will continue their three-game series on opening weekend on Saturday. First pitch at Bobcat Ballpark is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET, and the game will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
