SAN MARCOS, Texas (Interstat) — Ryan Markwardt and two relievers combined on a four-hit shutout Thursday night as Texas State defeated Marshall 5-0 at Bobcat Ballpark in a Sun Belt series opener.

Markwardt, the starter for the Bobcats, worked six scoreless innings, striking out six and walking one while scattering three hits. He was replaced by Jesus Tovar to begin the seventh, and Tovar pitched two perfect innings with three strikeouts before giving way to the bullpen. The Texas State pitching staff retired 14 of the final 15 Marshall batters.

Marshall starter Bryce Blevins took the loss, allowing three runs on five hits over six innings. He struck out two and walked one. Peyton Jackson relieved Blevins in the eighth and worked a scoreless inning, allowing one hit.

Texas State struck quickly in the bottom of the first. After Rashawn Galloway flied out and Manny Salas struck out, Jaquae Stewart launched a solo home run to right field. Clayton Namken followed with a solo homer to center, giving the Bobcats a 2-0 lead. The back-to-back homers set the tone for a game in which Marshall never threatened.

Marshall managed only one baserunner through the first four innings, a walk by Ethan Murdoch in the second, and did not record its first hit until Jack Smith singled through the left side with two outs in the fifth. The Thundering Herd’s best scoring chance came in the sixth when Tyler Kamerer doubled down the left-field line with one out, but he was left stranded when Jack Halter struck out and AJ Havrilla fouled out.

Texas State added a run in the second on a solo home run down the left-field line by shortstop Brady Boles, making it 3-0. The game remained 3-0 until the bottom of the seventh, when the Bobcats broke it open with two more runs.

Boles led off the inning with a double to left center. Blake Beheler then singled up the middle, scoring Boles for a 4-0 lead. Beheler was replaced by pinch runner Samson Pugh, who advanced to third on a single by Manny Salas. Stewart followed with a double to right field, driving in Pugh and moving Salas to third for a 5-0 advantage.

Marshall put two runners on in both the eighth and ninth innings but could not score. In the eighth, Smith walked and Evan Bottone singled through the right side with one out, but Kamerer grounded into a 1-6-3 double play to end the inning. In the ninth, Cooper Hinson singled to center and Murdoch walked with one out, but Oliver Service, pinch hitting for Mason Onate, struck out swinging to end the game.

Kamerer and Hinson each had a hit for Marshall, which dropped to 23-29 overall. Texas State improved to 32-22.

The Bobcats outhit Marshall 10-4. Stewart led the Texas State offense with a home run and a double, driving in three runs. Namken homered and walked. Boles had two extra-base hits, a home run and a double, and scored two runs. Beheler drove in one run. Bennett Fryman singled twice, stole a base and was hit by a pitch.

Marshall’s lineup struck out 12 times and walked four times.

The series continues with a doubleheader Friday and a single game Saturday. Marshall had won three of its previous four games, including a series victory over Louisiana-Monroe at home. Texas State entered the game having lost four of its last five, including a 19-4 defeat at Texas-San Antonio on Tuesday.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Texas State 5, Marshall 4, and Interstat’s ELO system gave Texas State a 68.60 percent probability to win.