TXST SOFTBALL
The Bobcats didn’t let their historic win over No. 3-ranked Texas Tech this past week get to their heads as Texas State went on to clinch their conference series against Southern Miss, winning two of the three games.
Texas State improves to 31-17 for the season and 11-7 in conference play.
“I kind of feel like something’s clicked, and we’re all clicking at the right time,” senior pitcher Emma Strood said.
”We’re all getting hot at the right time. So I’m really happy about that and I’ve been feeling good.”
In the first game of the series, the Bobcats blasted Southern Miss with four home runs, including two homers from junior Katarina Zarate, to win 6-1 over the Golden Eagles.
Junior pitcher Madison Azua earned the win, throwing a complete game while allowing just three hits, one earned run, no walks and striking out four batters.
Going into Saturday, Texas State followed up their hot offensive performance by tacking on eight runs against Southern Miss, two of which came on home runs, as the Bobcats defeated the Golden Eagles 8-1.
“They’re just [having] confident swings,” Head Coach Ricci Woodard said. “I’ve been waiting all year for that. As long as the pitching staff stays as confident as they’ve been, and the bats start to go like they’re going right now, we’re going to be hard to beat.”
The highlight of the game came in the bottom of the sixth with the bases loaded as Southern Miss opted to intentionally walk senior Aiyana Coleman to allow Texas State to score a run.
“I was kind of shocked because I figured they would at least pitch to me because bases were loaded,” Coleman said. “But I took it as a sign of ultimate respect because bases were loaded.”
During the series, Coleman set a new program record for most walks in a single season at 48. Against Southern Miss, Coleman was walked seven times, hitting two home runs in the first two games.
Strood earned the win on Saturday, throwing a complete game, allowing just three hits, one earned, two walks and striking out three batters.
Looking to complete the sweep on Sunday, the Bobcats fell to Southern Miss 2-1 as the Golden Eagles were able to slow down the Texas State offense.
Senior Sami Hood scored the only run for the Bobcats with a solo home run in left field.
“We squared up a lot of balls that went right at people,” Woodard said after the game. “The wind held up [a lot of balls] so again I think if the wind’s not blowing dead straight in, you see some different outcomes here today. But I’m not going to make excuses. We needed to put the ball on the ground a little bit better at different times, and we didn’t get the key hit.”
The Bobcats are back home for their midweek game against the Baylor Bears.
Baylor comes in with a 26-20 overall record, coming off a conference series win against the Utah Utes.
This is the 65th all-time meeting between Texas State and Baylor with the series dating back to 1985.
First pitch is set for 6 p.m. Wednesday at Bobcat Softball Stadium.
Keely Williams celebrates at home plate after hitting a solo home run that went off the scoreboard in right field. The Bobcats hit a total of seven home runs against Southern Miss. Daily Record photo by Gerald Castillo
