TXST SOFTBALL
In a three-game conference series defined by dominant pitching, pitcher Madison Azua came out of the weekend with three more wins to her record including a 4-0 win over the South Alabama Jaguars to complete the sweep.
The series win improves the Bobcats’ record to 2511 overall, 8-4 in conference play and sit one game behind Georgia Southern for first place in the Sun Belt. Azua improved her pitcher record to 15-4.
“It just means a lot, like bouncing back from a loss, instead of just letting that carry on,” Azua said. “It’s definitely gonna help us for our next game especially. Hopefully we can get it together on the road.” On Friday, Azua earned the win throwing a complete game and allowing just two hits, one earned run, two walks while striking out four batters in the Bobcats 2-1 victory.
Sophomore pitcher Madison Azua earned all three wins against South Alabama to improve her pitching record to 15-4. Photo submitted by Texas State Athletics
Azua came in the top of the fifth inning in the Bobcats game on Saturday with Texas State leading 3-2. Azua sat down the next seven batters to seal the Bobcats 5-2 win and capture the series win.
In the Bobcats win against South Alabama on Sunday, Azua got the start once again, allowing just three hits, no earned runs, one walk and striking out five batters.
Head Coach Ricci Woodard was proud of the effort of her starting pitcher and her ability to focus on what she can control.
“We were just talking about [Azua’s] quality pitches and not worrying about controlling anything else,” Woodard said. “She doesn’t control if the ball stays in the yard and she doesn’t control the umpire’s [strike] zone. All she can control is quality pitches, and that’s how she did a good job this weekend.”
While the Bobcat defense made the critical outs during the weekend, the Texas State offense was tasked with grinding out runs.
Though Woodard still wants to see improvement with the Bobcat offense, she was still proud of the group for continuing to find ways to win.
“Every weekend right now is gonna be a grind,” Woodard said. “You get to this part of the season, it’s going to be who can grind it out the best. I feel like we are still trying to grind it out every day.”
The weekend series continued to show how tough the Bobcats are when playing at Bobcat Softball Stadium, improving their home record to 21-3.
But with the Bobcats going on the road to Texas on Wednesday before a road conference series at Southern Miss, Texas State will look to translate that success away from San Marcos.
“The biggest thing we just talked about is we gotta be able to take this on the road now,” Woodard said. “We haven’t done a good job of playing on the road and so that’s where we just talked about it is time to grow up. We’re playing well at home, but we need to be able to play well on the road. That’s what this last month is going to be about for us.”
For Azua, the Bobcats need to bring the same energy the team has at home to the road games.
“When we’re in [Bobcat Softball Stadium] we’re crazy and being loud,” Azua said. “Being the way that we know we can be and bringing energy. I just think that when we get on the road, we tend to just lay back and kind of go through the motions. We just have to come out and be who we are.”
Texas State will be on the road Wednesday night, going up I-35 into Austin for a showdown with the No. 1 ranked Texas Longhorns. The Longhorns are coming off a three-game sweep of the Missouri Tigers and are riding a fivegame winning streak.
This will be the 63rd alltime meeting between the Bobcats and the Longhorns with the series dating back to 1997.
First pitch is set for 6 p.m. Wednesday night.
cmcwilliams @sanmarcosrecord.com Twitter: @ColtonBMc
Above, Sidney Harvey makes the catch in the infield fly at second for the out. Below, Erin Peterson makes the tag on the throw down. Daily Record photo by Gerald Castillo
