The biggest upset win in program history took place at Bobcat Softball Stadium as Texas State shutout the No. 3 ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders 3-0.
The victory marks the highest ranked win for the Bobcats who improve to 29-16 for the year.
“This is great,” senior Megan Kelnar said. “We beat both A&M and Tech so this goes to show how tough of a team we are. … This is going to be a great standard to keep for the rest of the season.”
Head Coach Ricci Woodard was proud of her group for both sticking to their game plan and continuing to play at a high level.
“I just told them they better not lose another game because they just set the bar really high,” Woodard said jokingly. “But it was fun to just watch what we're capable of doing when we're all in and stick to our plans.”
The game was highlighted by the pitching duel between junior Madison Azua and senior Nijaree Canady, the reigning NFCA Pitching of the Year.
The Bobcats struck first in the bottom of the fourth, senior Aiyana Coleman hit a solo home run in center field, giving Texas State a 1-0 lead.
“The 1st time I just learned from that, and went into the box for the confidence swing,” Coleman said. “I think just having a plan on looking inside, and there it was.”
Texas Tech loaded up the bases with two outs, threatening to take the lead but Madison Azua forced the groundout to Katarina Zarate who made the out and stranded all three runners.
In the bottom of the fifth, junior Kate Bubela started the Bobcat at-bat with a leadoff double.
After Bubela took third base on a wild pitch, Kelnar hit a bloop single in shallow left, scoring Bubela as the Bobcats went up 2-0.
“We made a plan before the game, and we adjusted throughout,” Kelnar said. “But every at-bat, we would talk to each other [saying] ‘Hey, I saw this as a right-handed hitter.’ She started outside and she started coming inside on us and that's the RBI I got off of was the changeup, We knew, ‘Hey, what 2 strikes are you going to see a changeup or a rise ball?’ We're really focusing on hunting the pitches that we could.”
Later the Bobcats put runners on corners with two outs. Senior Sidney Harvey attempted to steal second but stopped short after shortstop made the catch.
Sophomore Mel Reeves, pinch running, started off to home which caused a Texas Tech error, allowing the run to score before the Raiders got the out at first to end the at-bat.
The Red Raiders looked to make a comeback in the top of the seventh inning after drawing the leadoff walk but the Bobcats turned the 1-6-3 double play into two outs.
Azua struck out the batter for the final out as the Bobcats sealed the win at 3-0 to throw a complete game shutout.
“She'd been fun to watch all year,” Kelnar said. “But just to watch her get better, mature and be able to handle these situations, it's just been fun. I would match her up against anybody in the country. I don't know if she wants to do that, but I would match her up against anybody in the country because when she's on, she is really hard to beat.”
The Bobcats return home Friday as Texas State hosts Southern Miss for a three-game conference series. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. Friday at Bobcat Softball Stadium.
