SAN MARCOS, Texas (5/27/16) – The eighth-seeded Arkansas State baseball team advanced to the semifinals of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament Friday night with a 4-3 victory over the fifth seed and host school, Texas State, at Bobcat Ballpark in San Marcos, Texas.

The Red Wolves (29-28) were able to secure their second win in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament for the seventh consecutive year, the only school in the league to accomplish that feat, thanks largely in part to Tanner Kirby. The sophomore relief pitcher picked up his first win of the season with 6.1 innings out of the bullpen and just one run allowed. The Maumelle, Ark., native only gave up three hits with two walks and five strikeouts.

A-State scored four runs in the game's second and third innings, but couldn't muster anything else against the Texas State (31-28) relief duo of Brandon Lewis and Chase Hodson. The pair combined to shutout the Red Wolves over the final 6.1 innings and allowed only one hit after starter Jeremy Hallonquist lasted 2.2 innings and allowed all four runs (three earned) on four hits.

Offensively, Arkansas State received two hits apiece from Tanner Ring and Daltan Lovell with Ring knocking in two runs, one on a solo homer. Ty White had one big hit, a run-scoring triple, and also scored a run. The triple for White was his sixth of the season moving him into a tie for third most during a single year in school history with three other players, the last of which was Criss McGuire in 1967. It was also the team's 21st triple of the season, breaking the school record of 20 set in 1949.

Cory Geisler led the Bobcats with a 2-for-4 effort at the dish that included a home run and two runs scored, while Derek Scheible had a solo home run.

Texas State jumped on top in the bottom of the first with a RBI, two-out double by Granger Studdard off of A-State starter Zach Haake, but Ring hit a home run to lead off the top of the second to tie the game 1-1. Ring's long ball was his eighth of the year, a team best.

The Red Wolves took the lead on White's triple that scored Lovell to make the score 2-1 in the top of the third. A-State then took advantage of a botched safety squeeze attempt later in the frame when the Bobcats' pitcher Hallonquist made an errant throw trying to get White at third. The bad throw allowed White to score and Joe Schrimpf to advance to second. Schrimpf scored on a Ring single with two outs to stretch Arkansas State's advantage to 4-1.

Geisler homered for Texas State to lead off the bottom of the third to cut the A-State edge to 4-2. Haake got the next two outs, but a hit-by-pitch ended his night. Kirby relieved the Red Wolves' starter and got the final out of the inning. The right-hander didn't allow a run until a two-out home run by Derek Scheible in the bottom of the sixth inning made the score 4-3 in favor of A-State.

Kirby didn't allow a run in the final three innings, but had a few scares. Jonathan Ortega doubled to left-center field with one out in the bottom of the seventh, but was thrown out attempting to stretch it into a triple on a nice 7-6-5 relay by the Red Wolves.

Texas State's Tanner Hill led off the bottom of the eighth with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. However, Kirby slammed the door shut by sandwiching two strikeouts around a walk to end the threat. The bottom of the ninth saw the Bobcats retired in order, but pinch-hitter Teddy Hoffman almost tied the game with one out when he lifted a 3-2 pitch to deep left-center field, but Garrett Rucker ran it down for the second out. Ortega popped up to second base to end the game.

The win for Arkansas State means the Red Wolves play at 12:30 Saturday against top-seeded Louisiana-Lafayette. A-State must beat the Ragin' Cajuns twice to advance to Sunday's championship game. If the Red Wolves are able to win the first game, the second game would take place at 7:30 p.m., unless Georgia Southern defeats South Alabama in the 9:00 a.m. game tomorrow morning. If the Eagles win, A-State's second game would take place 75 minutes after the conclusion of the first game if the Red Wolves defeat ULL.

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