Texas State will open up play against the Georgia Tech Yellowjackets. 

“I think that was the key for [this team] is they were not happy with the way we finished last year,” Head Coach Ricci Woodard said. “So they really wanted to make sure that this year they set the tone early and often. I thought they did a good job of just continuing to battle with themselves in this spot today.”

This is the Bobcats seventh NCAA Tournament appearance in the last ten seasons [2020 season was canceled] and Texas State’s 13th overall appearance in the tournament.

It also marks the first time the Bobcats will leave the state of Texas for the NCAA Tournament since 2018 when Texas State played in the Los Angeles Regional hosted by UCLA. 

“It's a cool experience and that's the fun part about it,” Woodard said. “I always like the Austin regional or the A&M regional because of the fan base and the people that get to come hang out and cheer for us. 
But this will be a cool experience for these young ladies. 

“To me, that's what this is all about. We got to go in there and take care of what we can do, but the experience it'll be cool.”

Texas State is looking to make the program’s first ever super regional appearance in program history. The Bobcats have appeared in three regional finals in 2001, 2003 and 2024. 

For Woodard, the team believing that they can break through regionals will be the key for the Bobcats. 

“That's the huge part of this is that I feel like 2 years ago, we had just as good a team, if not even a little better,” Woodard said. “But I'm not sure they believed at the end of the day that they could go to that A&M [regional], win it and get themselves into a super regional. The mid-major has to believe that for it to work and so this group has to really buy in. I think beating Texas Tech helped them 100% buy into that.”

First pitch for Texas State-Georgia Tech is set for Thursday with a time to be determined. 

Park was leading the team in RBIs with 52 and at one point led the team in home runs with 12 with a batting average of .301. 

In Texas State’s Sunday game against South Alabama, Park had flown out to right for the final out which completed the Jaguars sweep of the Bobcats. 

After the play, Park got into a heated argument with one of his teammates that needed to be separated as the sophomore was sent behind the dugout. 

Park was later escorted to the team locker room by assistant coaches at Strahan and didn’t participate in the Kid’s Fun Day activities where players sign autographs for the fans. 

The sophomore was taken out of the lineup during the Bobcats home game against Baylor then was no longer listed on the team roster this weekend during Texas State’s conference road series against Arkansas State. 

The Bobcats advance to the semifinals while avenging their conference tournament loss from last year where James Madison defeated Texas State 2-0. 

The Dukes scored first in the top of the second, hitting a solo home run to take the early 1-0 lead over the Bobcats.

Later in the top of the fourth inning, the Dukes scored again on an RBI double as Texas State fell in a 2-0 hole. 

James Madison looked to add on to their lead in the top of sixth following a leadoff double followed by a sacrifice bunt which moved the runner up to third base. 

However, on the fielder’s choice, senior shortstop Sami Hood made a quick throw to junior third baseman Kate Bubela at third base to get the runner out and eliminate the scoring threat for the second out. 

After getting the final batter out on a fly out, the Bobcats went to work on offense. 

Senior outfielder  Keely Williams started the at-bat with a leadoff double before scoring on an RBI single by Hood put Texas State on the board for the first time in the game. 

Seniors Aiyana Coleman and Katarina Zarate both drew walks as the Bobcats loaded up the bases with no outs. 

Freshman outfielder Harley Vestal hit a hard groundball towards the second baseman who was unable to make the throw home before tossing the ball to first for the out, allowing Hood to score and tying the at game 2-2. 

With runners on second and third with one out, Bubela gave the Bobcats the lead with one swing of the bat as the junior connected with a three-run home run over the wall in center field, putting Texas State up 5-2. 

The Dukes were unable to pull off a seventh inning rally as the Bobcats went on to win. 

Texas State plays Coastal Carolina in the Sun Belt Conference semifinals. 

Game Notes

• Coleman broke the Sun Belt Conference record for most walks in a single season at 61. The old conference record was set in 2019 by Keeli Milligan of Louisiana. 
• With the win, the Bobcats are in a solid spot to clinch an at-large for the NCAA Tournament. Texas State has three Q1 wins over Texas Tech, Texas A&M and Clemson and seven Q2 wins. 
• Texas State faces Coastal Carolina in the conference tournament semifinals. The Bobcats swept the Chanticleers this season during senior weekend. 

Azua finished the regular season with a 25-10 overall record, 1.82 ERA and striking out 221 batters. She is also the third pitcher in Bobcat history to earn the Sun Belt Pitcher of the Year following Randi Rupp and Jessica Mullins while being the seventh pitcher in program history to win the conference pitcher of the year award. 

Azua was named 1st Team All-Conference where she was joined by senior first baseman Aiyana Coleman and senior outfielder Keely Williams.

Coleman finished the regular season with a .333 batting average in 123 at-bats where she hit 16 home runs, one off the school record for most home runs hit in a single season at 17 which she set last season. 

This year Coleman broke the school record for most walks in a single season with 61 along with 49 RBIs. 

Williams finished the regular season with a batting average of .385 in 169 at-bats where she led the team in hits with 65 along with 28 RBIs. Williams' season batting average is the fourth best in program history. 

Earning second-team all-conference honors is redshirt freshman outfielder Harley Vestal. 

In her first season with the Bobcats after transferring from Texas A&M, Vestal finished the regular season with a batting average of .338, the second highest on the team. Vestal was third on the team in hits with 48 along with nine doubles and 24 RBIs. 

The Bobcats enter their final Sun Belt Conference Tournament this weekend where Texas State will open tournament play against the James Madison Dukes. 

For Kielsmeier, this year’s signing class brings many years of experience as they join returners Saniya Burks, Kyra Anderson and Kaliyah Murphy. 

“I am so excited to announce the signings of our newest Bobcats,” Kielsmeier said in a statement. “This group has a wide range of experience at different levels of basketball that will be great additions to our team here at Texas State.”

Down on the block, the Bobcats signed a pair of centers in senior Lucija Milkovic and freshman Addison Carr, both of which stand at 6 '6. 

Milkovic, transferred from Seattle University where she averaged 6.2 points and 3.8 rebounds for the Redhawks. 

Carr signed with the Bobcats after previously committing with Kielsmeier at Cleveland State. During AAU, Carr averaged 10 points, eight rebounds and one block per game.

Joining Carr as a freshman is forward Hayden Hearst who competed for Legion Prep. 

Junior Sofia Ceppellotti signed with the Bobcats following two seasons at North Alabama. Ceppellotti averaged 11.5 points and 4.9 rebounds for the Lions last season. 

The Bobcats also signed five guards including senior Crystal Henderson. A three-year player at Georgia State, Henderson was the 2023-2024 Sun Belt Freshman of the Year. During her junior season, Henderson averaged 16.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game for the Panthers. 

Junior Aliyah Carter, junior Cali Denson, senior Lay Fantroy and sophomore Emma Pique will also join the Bobcats as guards. 

Denson averaged 12.1 points per game last season at Oakland while Fantroy has made 999 career points and 578 rebounds during her time at Ohio, Texas Southern and Delaware, the latter of which she averaged 10.2 points per game. 

Carter returns home to Texas after spending her sophomore season at Cal State Bakersfield while Pique joins from Northwest College. 

The Bobcats improved to 36-19 for the season and 16-8 in conference play. 

In the double-header on Friday, the Bobcats were locked in an offensive slugfest in Game 1 against App State. 

Texas State went up 3-0 over App State following a Mountaineer error then a sacrifice fly by junior Kate Bubela. 

App State took the lead in the bottom of the first, scoring on an RBI single before hitting a grand slam to go up 5-3. 

But the Bobcats answered with a two-run third inning following a solo home run by senior Kat Zarate then an RBI double by senior Keely Williams. 

App State took the lead back in the bottom of the third following an RBI double but the Bobcats answered with a six-run at-bat in the top of the fourth to go up 11-6. 

The Mountaineers responded with a five-run at-bat in the bottom of the fourth as the game was tied at 11-11. 

App State jumped back in front with a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth but the Bobcats tied the game up in the top of the seventh following a solo home run by senior Aiyana Coleman. The Mountaineers won the game in the bottom of the seventh with a walk-off RBI single to win 13-12 and even the series. 

In the second game of the doubleheader, the Bobcats continued their offensive onslaught with a six-run top of the first to take a commanding lead. 

App State could only muster one run in the bottom of the first as the Bobcats went on to score nine unanswered runs en route to a 15-1 win to clinch the series. 

Texas State finishes third in the conference standings and will enter the conference tournament as the No. 3 seed. 

The Bobcats will open up tournament play against the No. 6-seeded James Madison Dukes. This is a rematch from last year’s conference tournament opener where the Dukes upset the Bobcats 2-0. 

First pitch is set for 10 a.m. Thursday at Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park. 

Weekend Notes

• Texas State currently sits 31st in RPI and are in position for snagging an at-large bid. The Bobcats resume currently boasts four Quad 1 wins over Texas Tech, Texas A&M, Clemson and Northwestern. 
• While the Bobcats don’t need the autobid to punch their ticket for the NCAA Tournament, a deep run in the conference tournament will go a long way solidifying their spot. 
• Texas State’s pitching staff is currently boasts the best team era in the conference at a 2.51, which also ranks inside the Top 25 nationally
• The Bobcat offense has seemingly found their stride over the last few weeks, having scored five or more runs in seven of their last ten games and are currently averaging 6.6 runs per game during that stretch, a +2.31 difference on the team’s season average. 

Texas State falls to 27-21 overall, 10-14 in conference and are now in danger of missing the conference tournament.

“You just have to keep playing, fighting and sticking together,” Trout said. “We talk about culture and family all the time. It’s what it needs to be. When you go through hard times it gets tested the most so that's number one. 

The other piece, we just need to have guys step up and go be who they are. I think they're trying sometimes too hard to do too much and they're not getting the results. So you just have to keep grinding away and  believe in one another. We've seen this offense and this team, when we're playing really well baseball, we're going to beat anybody. So you have to believe that's gonna show up here in the last couple weeks of the season, and hopefully fight to go make the conference tournament.”

The Bobcats scored first on the leadoff home run from RaShawn Galloway in the bottom of the first.

Later, junior Justin Vossos connected with a two-run RBI single to make it a 3-0 lead.

In the bottom of the fourth, junior Manny Salas hit an RBI single to make it a 4-0 Bobcat lead.

South Alabama cut into the lead with a fielder’s choice, scoring one run in the top of the fifth inning.

The Jaguars later tied the game in the top of the sixth with a three-run home run, making it a 4-4 game.

South Alabama later took a 6-4 lead on a two-run RBI double in the top of the eight before tacking on another run in the top of the ninth.

Texas State is back home Tuesday against Baylor. First pitch is at 6 p.m.

Weekend Notes

• After entering last week with an RPI of 37, combination of the loss to Texas A&M Corpus Christi and being swept by South Alabama has sunk the Bobcats’ RPI to 56. Texas State’s at-large bid is likely over with their only shot at making the NCAA Tournament is winning the Sun Belt Conference Tournament. 
• The sweep also dropped Texas State in a four-way tie for tenth place in the conference. Only the top ten teams in the standings make the conference tournament. 
• The Bobcat offensive slump continues on as Texas State has failed to score more than five runs in 11 of their last 12 games. 
• Tensions over how the season has gone for the Bobcats seemed to reach a boiling point when Texas State players were seen getting into a visible argument that was so heated, coaches were to separate the teammates. 

While sophomore quarterback Brad Jackson, senior wide receiver Beau Spark and senior Chris Dawn Jr and several starters were held, many of the unknown players were able to make a name for themselves in the hopes of securing a starting role. 

“That's what the springs are all about, getting those young guys a lot of reps,” Jackson said.”It was good for Shaker [Resig] and Gavin [Parkhurst] , allowing them to get in there, operate the system. Then really for the new receivers we got coming in, we have 3 early graduate freshmen who are still picking up the speed of the game. It’s kind of moving still fast for them, but they've gotten a lot better in the spring and I'm super happy to see them. Then just building the offensive line and the running backs. So those guys are just continuing to get reps.”

Here are some of the key moments that stood out at the spring showcase. 

Running Backs breakout 

The dismissal of projected starter Greg Burrell threw a wrench into the Bobcat running back room who looks to move forward. 

With Torrence Burgess Jr, the Bobcats lead returner in rushing yards, being held out, the scrimmage offered an opportunity for the room to showcase their talent. 

One of the standouts from the spring game was sophomore running back Taji Atkins. 

After the offense had a slow start at the beginning of the scrimmages, Atkins was able to break off a couple of big runs to march the Bobcats down the field. 

“We needed someone to spark us on offense, make that play, and he broke it up the middle,” Kinne said. “He might have scored it's hard to tell. but he just has so much speed. He reminds me a lot of Ismail Mahdi. Even in the recruiting process, that was my comparison the whole time. He's just a really good player.”

Another running back who had a standout day was redshirt freshman running back Davian ‘Diamond’ Jackson.

Transitioning over from wide receiver to running back, Jackson also broke off a couple of big runs for the offense. 

“He's handled it really, well,” Jackson said. “He had a couple of explosive plays out today. I love all those guys and they're all super talented and more than capable of being that running one. I'm just super excited to see what comes from going forward.”

Fired up defense

With all the talk the Bobcat offense has received over the last three seasons, the defense has taken some of the heat for the lack of success, particularly during the 2025 season after giving up an average of 382.9 yards per game and 29 points per game.

But the Bobcat defense had the Bobcat offense on their toes, coming up with several key stops including two interceptions. 

“I thought the defense came out [to play],” Kinne said. “Obviously, they also got after us, two picks, one pick-six, to start the scrimmage. That's good.”

Kinne highlighted the play of redshirt freshmen Jayden Bradley and Cordarion Powell who helped contribute to the interceptions. 

“The same guys that I've been talking about all spring Jayden Bradley, Cordarian Powell, coming out there to get the first two plays to start the scrimmage,” Kinne said. “It's good to have them come out here [despite] never really playing meaningful snap and performing like that was really good.”

Future of the Wide Receiver room

If you thought the Bobcats will be hurting after both Dawn and Sparks senior years, the showcase proved the cupboard is plenty full and stocked with young talent. 

One of the early standouts of the showcase was freshman La’Keyleon Graves, the Bobcats highest rated recruit and the first ever four-star player to commit to Texas State. 

Graves made a couple of spectacular touchdown catches at the showcase as Kinne was proud of the freshman of the strides he had made during spring. 

“He was one of the guys coming into today I was a little nervous for,” Kinne said. s “He's got all this pressure early as a 4 star. For him to come out and be able to just make any plays, I thought was really good for his confidence going into the summer. From practice one to practice 15, I think he's probably made the biggest jump on the team. That's what that's what you want to see.”

Texas State improves to 34-18 overall and 14-7 in conference play while Coastal Carolina falls to 22-29 and 6-15 for the season. 

“I think going to [the at-bat], I just wanted to go in there with confidence,” Coleman said. “I felt like my previous at-bats weren't as confident. I know that my team needed me, and I just wanted to go in there with confidence to know that I'm capable.”

It was an emotional weekend for the Bobcats, honoring their eight senior players who were playing their final games at Bobcat Softball Stadium. 

“What a special group,” Head Coach Ricci Woodard said.

”They have given us every piece of themselves over the last two to four years. They've been a fun group to watch. They just get after it, show up and try to win ball games. Sometimes they probably try to do too much so they've just been a really fun group to have around.”

Coastal Carolina scored first in the bottom of the first on a sacrifice fly in center before putting another run on the board on a Texas State error to make it a 2-0 lead for the Chanticleers. 

Texas State answered back in the bottom of the first as freshman Harley Vestal hit an RBI single to score senior Karmyn Bass at second. 

The Bobcats later tied the game in the bottom of the fourth as senior Sami Hood dropped a RBI single in left field. 

In the bottom of the sixth, the Bobcats loaded up the bases with one out following a walk from senior Megan Kelnar and Hood then a single from Bass. 

Coming up to the plate, Coleman crushed the ball over the wall in center, hitting the grand slam and putting the Bobcats up 6-2 for their first lead of the game. 

“It was awesome, just the whole surreal moment of it,” Coleman said. “My last step out on my home field, and all the emotions of my teammates, seeing them at home plate waiting for me. 

I think that's just surreal.”

Senior Analisa Soliz came in to close out the game, getting the next three outs to seal the win. 

“It was nice to get Analisa on the field,” Woodard said. “We just haven't been in that spot where we've been able to really make a lot of pitching changes lately. So to get the chance to come in, spin the ball a little bit, and finish your career here at home on the diamond, it was just the perfect ending to the perfect storm.”

Texas State closes out the regular season on the road against App State. 

The Bobcats improve to 33-18 overall and 13-7 in conference play while Coastal falls to 22-28 for the season and 6-14 in conference play.

“I thought Emma Strood threw a really good ball game today,” Woodard said. ‘That always kind of sets the tone in my opinion. So to come out, get a couple [of runs] early and just continue to build on that on this emotional day, I'm really proud of them.”

Senior pitcher Emma Strood led the way for the Bobcats, throwing a complete game shutout while allowing just two hits, two walks and striking out five batters. Strood also sat down 16 consecutive Coastal batters in a row. 

“I told her before the game that if she hit her spots and spun the ball well today, she was going to have a really good game,” Woodard said. “I thought she did a really good job of just keeping them off balance and keeping the ball in the zone enough, but she’s doing a really good job just to keep that offensive lineup off balance.”

The Bobcats struck first in the bottom of the second when senior Sami Hood hit a deep sacrifice fly in center field, scoring both senior Sydney Harvey and junior Kate Bubela at second and third. 

Later in the bottom of the fourth, the Bobcats loaded up the bases before senior Keely Williams drew a walk to score Bubela at third, extending the lead to 3-0. 

Senior Karmyn Bass added on to the lead, hitting into a fielder’s choice but scoring senior Megan Kelnar at third. 

Kelnar tacked on another run for the Bobcats in the bottom of the fifth, hitting a single in right to score Bubela from first.

Strood kept Coastal from scoring in the top of the seventh to complete the win. 

Texas State goes for the sweep Sunday against the Chanticleers. First pitch is set for 12 p.m. Sunday. 

Texas State improves to 32-18 for the season and 12-7 in conference play. 

“I had no doubt in us,” senior Sami Hood said.
”The Baylor game wasn't our best game. I knew that we were going to come through and play our best games this weekend and do it for each other.”

Head Coach Ricci Woodard was proud of her team following their loss to Baylor and finding a way to beat Coastal after trailing by two.

“Our biggest thing right now is just playing the game one pitch at a time,” Woodard said. “One game at a time, one run at a time and not trying to do too much/ Just stick to what we do and try to find ways to win ball games at the end of the season.”

The Chanticleers scored on the RBI double before scoring again on a Bobcat fielding error to take the early 2-0 lead in the top of the first. 

Texas State answered back in the bottom of the first as senior first baseman Aiyana Coleman hit an RBI single off the wall, cutting their deficit to 2-1. 

The Bobcats tied the game in the bottom of the third as a Chanticleers fielding error allowed junior Katarina Zarate to score from second, making it a 2-2 game. 

Coastal took back the lead in the top of the fourth on a sacrifice fly. The Chanticleers later added another run on a bases loaded walk as the Bobcats entered the bottom of the fourth down 4-2. 

But the Bobcats tied the game up with one swing as senior Sami Hood connected with a two-run home run, making it a 4-4 game. 

“I was sitting on the change,” Hood said. “I think it helped me be on time for the hard pitch, because I'm always early on everything.”

Texas State later took the lead in the bottom of the fifth as freshman Harley Vestal scored on a passed ball from third base, putting the Bobcats up 5-4. 

Junior pitcher Madison Azua earned her 22nd win of the season, closing out the side while allowing nine hits, two earned runs, one walk and striking out nine batters. 

“The biggest thing for Maddie is that she's a big gamer,” Woodard said. “As the game went on, you knew she was going to get better. So I knew we were going to get to the 7th inning and have the top of their lineup up. That's when she would be at her best and it was right on the money.”

Texas State will look to clinch the series tomorrow against the Chanticleers. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.

A pair of scissors.

“When we interviewed Coach on the first Zoom [call], he was sitting in his office, and he had a bunch of basketballs, trophies, nets, and stuff behind him,” Damphousse said. “I said, ‘Man, I want to cut down a net with you someday.’ So I want to give you this pair of scissors, so you can put it on your desk. When we win our next championship, I want you to cut down the nets with these pairs of scissors.”

Both a lofty gift and for Kielsmeier who takes over a program that has reached the NCAA Tournament twice and has won one conference regular season title since making the jump to Division I in 1984 while entering the newly configured Pac-12 Conference which looks to be one of the better mid-major conferences in the country. 

But easy has never been in the vocabulary of Kielsmeier who isn’t afraid of the expectations set in front of him nor the reality of where the Bobcats are. 

“I'm outspoken right now where the program's at, it's not where it needs to be,” Kielsmeier said. “That's not an indictment on the past coaching staff or anything like that. They had success. It just needs a new energy and a new life to it. I said it earlier, I know what we're in for. This isn't gonna be easy but I've never taken an easy job. I've never had an easy path to success and so it's going to require a lot. 


“Everybody signs up for success. Everybody signs up for winning until you have to go through it and experience exactly what it takes to get to that level. It's a lot, and it's a lot for me.  But I'm proud about what we do, how we go about doing it, and that's just not going to change. It's the chase. The chase is unlimited and you have to find a way to shut it down a little bit so you can do some other things, but you have to enjoy it. 
Enjoy the chase.”

It’s been a whirlwind for Kielsmeier who just last month was coaching Cleveland State in the WNIT Tournament to now having to recruit players to Texas State.

Ultimately, Kielsmeier felt Texas State was the right place for him. 

“I was in a hotel room in Arkansas getting ready to play in the Great Eight of the WNIT on Monday just like 3 weeks ago,” Kielsmeier said. “Don, Kelly and I were working through that the entire weekend and you're trying to get ready to play a game. You're trying to make sure that you make the focus about everything that you're doing is Cleveland State and trying to win because you still don't know how everything's going to work out. 
It just came together and I felt like this was where we needed to be. I felt like this was a place that needed to be built.”

Another factor for Kielsmeier signing with Texas State is the passion both Damphousse and Director of Athletics Don Coryell have for athletics and their ability to let coaches manage their programs. 

“They are passionate, driven and they get things done,” Kielsmeier said. 
”One thing along this whole process that has given me a real comfort level with them is they have let me be. They have built a strong level of trust in me right away in ‘That he's our guy and let him work.’ They are there to support and they are there when needed.

“They have put me in a comfort zone because they have made me feel like they fully believe in me and they're all in with me.”

Kielsmeier is tasked with turning around a program that has appeared twice in the NCAA Tournament since making the jump to Division I in 1984. 

With his success at Howard Payne, Wayne State and Cleveland State, Kielsmeier is both focused on developing a winning culture and gaining the trust of his players. 

“You have to make sure [the players] are getting everything out of themselves off the court and really trying to install that,” Kielsmeier said. “You have to build a high level of trust. Players want to know that you have their best interests in mind so for me right now that's what we're doing with our current players.

“It's just building a level of trust with them and then just getting them to understand that every decision that you're going to make, you feel is what's best for them and what's best for the program. Just installing a level of confidence in them.”

Despite the loss, Head Coach G.J. Kinne is happy about what the unit brings to the Bobcat offense. 

“I’m excited about the running back group we got,” Kinne said. Those guys are super talented. They came out with the right mindset today. Really the whole team did, and yeah we're excited about what we got on the roster.”

The Bobcats now returning leading rusher is junior Torrance Burgess Jr who rushed for 367 yards and two touchdowns during the 2024 season. Burgess, a transfer from UTEP, had rushed for 95 yards and one touchdown in 2025 before a season-ending injury forced him to miss the season. For his career, Burgess has rushed for 1,085 yards and 208 carries with Kinne comparing him to former Bobcat running back Lincoln Pare. 

“I've known TB for a really long time,” Kinne said. “Unbelievable kid and a great player. I thought before he got hurt last year in his role that he might have been playing his best football with his vision and quickness. He kind of has that same [mentality] of Lincoln Pare, doing everything right, is a great pass catcher, great vision and he's tough. 

“He's made a lot of big plays for us throughout his career here and at his time at UTEP. He's played a lot of football, so really high on him.”

Also returning for the Bobcats is senior running back Jaylen Jenkins. Jenkins rushed for 170 yards on 31 carries and two touchdowns but was barely used within the running back rotation after the first four games. 

Jenkins had success in the kick return game, returning the ball for 622 yards and one touchdown. 

“He kind of got to break out last year on special teams,” Kinne said. “So I'm excited to see what he can do this year in more of a running back role.”

Though he redshirted last season, a player that has made strides this off-season and during spring practice is sophomore running back Taji Atkins

A transfer from Rice, Atkins rushed for 158 yards on 24 carries for the Owls. 

“He keeps on stacking days and getting better,” Kinne said. “He's a home run hitter and bigger than you think. He's tough and physical. 
He’s another guy that we recruited extremely hard coming out of high school and was able to get him out of the portal. Really high on Taji and I think he's an unbelievable player.

The wild card of the running back redshirt freshman running back Davian ‘Diamond’ Jackson. The tallest and heaviest out of the running back room, Jackson transferred from Mississippi State and was originally slated to play at wide receiver before making the switch to running back. 

“You look at him out there, you see he's 6 '1, 200 pounds,” Kinne said. “One of the top five fastest guys on the team. If you ask the tight-ends and safeties, he'd be one of those five that really has had an outstanding spring and probably surprised me [the most]. You never know what the move from receiver to running back but if you go watch some of his high school film, that was really what gave me the idea that he's played running back.

“It might not be exactly what we're teaching them and all that and more just ‘Hey, go run the ball,’ but he's doing a great job.”

Texas State concludes spring practice Saturday with the Maroon and Gold Spring Showcase. 

“He’s no longer with us and wish him nothing but the best,” Kinne said. “Excited about the running back group we got and those guys are super talented. They came out with the right mindset today. 

“I won't get too much into it, but the hardest thing for me is how much you care about the kids. That's the toughest thing for me so sometimes you have to make tough decisions and that's definitely not easy 
A lot of times being a head coach is great on certain days, it's not one of those days.”

Burrell was booked into the Hays County Jail Thursday, April 16 and was charged with Deadly Conduct to Discharge Firearm. Burrell was later released on cash bond. 

Burrell was projected to be the Bobcats' starting running back after rushing for 671 yards and three touchdowns on 100 carries during the 2025 season.  Burrell transferred from UNLV, where during his freshman season rushed for 366 yards and three touchdowns for the Rebels. 

This is an ongoing story. San Marcos Daily Record will provide updates as they become available.

Despite the loss, the Bobcats clinched the series against the Golden Eagles after winning on Friday [7-1] and Saturday [8-1].

“We squared up a lot of balls that went right at people,” Head Coach Ricci Woodard. “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.”

Southern Miss scored first in the top of the second as the Golden Eagles connected with a two-run home run. 

The Bobcats got on the board in the bottom of the fifth when senior Sami Hood hit a solo home run to right field, cutting the deficit to 2-1. 

In the bottom of the seventh, Texas State put runners on first and second with one out but Southern Miss kept the Bobcats from scoring, making outs on a line out and a fielder’s choice to seal the win for the Golden Eagles. 

Pitching the entire game, junior pitcher Madison Azua allowed five hits, two earned runs, one walk and struck out five batters. 

Texas State is back home Wednesday against Baylor. First pitch is at 6 p.m.

Texas State improves to 31-16 for the season and 11-6 in conference play while Southern Miss falls to 29-19 and 10-7 in conference play. 

“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 Golden Eagles struck first, scoring on a leadoff home run in the top of the first to lead 1-0. 

After the leadoff homer, senior pitcher Emma Strood went to work, allowing just one run, three hits, two walks and striking out three batters. 

“I kind of feel like something's clicked, and we're all clicking at the right time,” Strood said.
”We're all getting hot at the right time. So I'm really happy about that and I've been feeling good.”

Texas State tied the game in the bottom of the third as senior Sami Hood scored junior Kate Bubela on an RBI groundout. 

In the bottom of the fourth, the Bobcats put runners on first and second with one out before senior Aiyana Colemen crushed a three-run home run to put Texas State up 4-1. 

Hood tacked on another run with a RBI single, extending the lead to 5-1. 

The Bobcats added another run in the bottom of the fifth as Bubela drew a bases loaded walk.  

In the bottom of the sixth, senior Keely Williams joined the home run parade, crushing a solo home run in right that bounced off the scoreboard to extend the lead 7-1. 

Texas State loaded up the bases with one out before Southern Miss intentionally walked Coleman, scoring a run for the Bobcats and making it an 8-1 game. 

“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.”

Coleman was intentionally walked twice against Southern Miss which allowed the senior to break the single season record for most walks. 

Texas State goes for the conference series sweep tomorrow against the Golden Eagles. First pitch is set for 12 p.m. Sunday at Bobcat Softball Stadium. 

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,” Woodard 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. 

Following a near three-hour rain delay, Texas State scored four runs in the bottom of the ninth including a walk-off three-run home run from sophomore Dawson Park as the Bobcats defeated the Troy Trojans 8-5 to conclude a near six-hour game. 

“It goes out to my teammates and I have big faith in them,” Park said. “We tied the game, so I felt like a lot of the pressure was gone. 
But pretty much just going up to the plate andI was looking for what I want, knowing I'm not gonna get much so I just took advantage of what I got and didn't miss it.”

Texas State improves to 24-10 for the season and 9-4 in conference play while Troy falls to 16-18 overall and 6-7 in conference play. 

Battling both the weather conditions and Troy’s tough pitching, Head Coach Steven Trout was proud of his team’s ability to battle. 

“There's a lot going on and we knew that going into it there was going to be some messed up weather,” Trout said. “But you can't control it. All you control is, once they say play ball, go get after it.
Obviously, Alizaeh [Gutierrez] coming out of the rain delay was phenomenal and Smitty [Cade Smith] of course was great. Then Stu's [Jaquae Stewart] backside out homer and of course they're at the end with  Dawson Park. 

“Sometimes you get those moments as coach, you want to bunt sometimes but for us we wanted to go win the baseball game and to go score 2 runs so you swing it. … You think about it, that's where Dawson was last week. He popped up to end the game. We told him ‘Hey, man, that's coming back to you, right? When you're in the middle of an order, you're gonna get that opportunity.’ What a big time swing going [opposite field] and winning the game.”

Troy scored first as a fielder’s choice with runners on second and third allowed the run to score from third. 

The Bobcats answered in the bottom of the first. After freshman Jackson Cotton reached first on an infield single then advanced to second as the ensuing throw went into the dugout, Park hit an RBI single to score Cotton, tying the game at 1-1.

Troy answered in the top of the second, scoring on a Bobcat fielding error before hitting an RBI double to lead 3-1.

Following the nearly three hour rain delay, the game resumed play.

In the top of the sixth, Troy scored again on another Bobcat fielding error as Texas State trailed 4-1.

With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, the Bobcats put runners on first and second following an infield single by junior Manny Salas then a walk by redshirt sophomore Ethan Farris.

Junior Jaquae Stewart followed up with a three-run home run in left field, tying the game at 4-4.

Troy answered in the top of seventh, scoring on a sacrifice bunt with runners on the corners to retake the lead at 5-4. 

Sophomore Cade Smith kept the Trojans from scoring any more runs as the Bobcats entered the bottom of the ninth still trailing by one run. 

Freshman Clayton Namken and senior Chase Mora started the at-bat drawing a pair of walks to put the tying run on second and the game winning run at first. 

Following a strikeout, freshman Jackson Cotton hit an RBI single through the right side to score Namken, tying the game at 5-5 as Mora moved to third to put runners on the corners. 

A caught pop up in the shallow center field had the Bobcats down to their last out as Park came up to the plate. 

With a 2-1 count, Park smashed a three-run home run in right field to end the six–hour game as Texas State won 8-5. 

The Bobcats are set to play their second double-header in the last two weeks with the games being rescheduled due to weather concerns.

The double-header is set for Saturday with Game 1 starting at 12 p.m. and Game 2 starting at 4 p.m.

On the night Texas State dedicated the renaming of Bobcat Ballpark to Irvine-Rasmussen Ballpark, the Bobcats took down No. 18 ranked Texas A&M 9-8 in a thrilling offensive game.

“Honestly, it means a lot to us,” Junior Jaquae Stewart said. “The work that we put in and stuff like that. Day in, day out how much time we spend, so I think that was a much needed win here at home.”

Texas State improves to 22-10 overall while Texas A&M falls to 25-7. It also marks the Bobcats first win over the Aggies at Irvine-Rasmussen Ballpark since 2013.

“We played some good baseball, especially against a good team but we  just haven't made that final punch to finish the game,” Head Coach Steven Trout said. “But on the night when we obviously renamed the ballpark, a lot of people in the stands, obviously a great team on that side of it, great atmospheres, it was a great baseball game. We actually didn't really play too well to be honest with you. 

We offensively played pretty good but defensively [we had] too many walks. But we just kept making pitches we needed to, and got some swings we needed to.”

The Aggies scored first following the Bobcat error, scoring on a bloop double to take the early 1-0 lead in the top of the first.

Texas A&M scored another run on an RBI single, extending their lead to 2-0. 

In the top of the second, Texas A&M added another run, scoring on a solo home run in left-center field to make it a 3-0 game. 

Bobcats bats got to work in the bottom of the second.

Starting off the at-bat, junior Manny Salas crushed a leadoff home run into left field for the Bobcats first run of the game. 

Texas State then put runners on second and third with two outs following a hit by pitch from senior Chase Mora then a double from freshman Clayton Namken.

Junior Justin Vossos, a former Aggie, then connected with a two-run double in left as Texas State tied the game at 3-3. 

In the bottom of the third, Texas State took the lead when redshirt sophomore Ethan Farris hit a sacrifice fly to score senior Rashawn Galloway at third. 

Later with a runner on first, junior Jaquae Stewart crushed a two-run home run in center field that bounced off the batter’s eye to put Texas State up 6-3.

“On the homer, I was just trying to give my best bullet,” Stewart said. “Not trying to do too much and use the big part of the field.”

The Aggies made it a one-run game in the top of the fourth, hitting a two-run home run. 

In the top of sixth, the Aggies tied the game on an RBI single through the left side before taking the lead on an RBI double as the Bobcats found themselves down 7-6. 

Texas State turned the bats back on in the bottom of the seventh.

“Our offense is really selfless, wanting to pass the bat to each other,” Stewart said. “

Understanding that there are eight other guys behind me and letting everybody else get the work as well. So just trusting in the process and just being selfless, that's it.”

With runners on the corners and two outs, Farris hit an RBI double, tying the game at 7-7.

Following Farris, Stewart hit a two-run RBI single as Farris beat the throw home, putting Texas State back up 9-7. 

“When you have a guy like Farris, he kind of gets you fired up, right?” Stewart said. “So him hitting that double in the gap just kind of gave me hope and understanding that we have 8 other guys that can go.”

The Aggies looked to make their comeback in the top of the ninth, scoring on a passed ball to cut their deficit down to 9-8. 

But freshman Wade Cooper slammed the door shut on the A&M comeback, sealing the win.

So when the game's on the line, we want our best guy to have the ball, and he's got it,” Trout said. “Even though he's young he’s a tough guy. 

He gets a little excited sometimes and throws one for the gun every once in a while. But he wants the ball in those moments.”

Texas State returns home Wednesday night against Stephen F. Austin.

First pitch is set for 6 p.m.

But tonight, the Slam Marcos crown was ceremoniously given to senior Chase Mora who set a new Texas State record for most career home runs at 37 during the Bobcats doubleheader against Georgia Southern. 

“They were kind of pitching me slow all weekend,” Mora said. “After seeing the first fast ball, he wasn't really commanding it. 
I shifted my sides to off speed and sure enough that's what I got.

“I've had a lot of big swings, but that one will obviously be one of my favorites, so it's a really cool moment.”

It was a proud moment for head coach Steven Trout who saw Mora develop as a freshman during his record breaking season and stressed the importance of why breaking the record is important during the period of college baseball. 

“Anytime you break Goldschmidt’s record it's just outstanding,” Trout said. “[Mora]has been a super star since walked on campus and more importantly, has been loyal to us since he walked on campus as well. You don't see a lot of records broken anymore at this day and age because guys don't stay in a place for all 4 years. Guys bounce around and do different things, and so that's credit for [Mora], sticking with us, and sticking with the program. He can walk around as the home run champion.”

Bobcats hammer Eagles in run-rule win

Texas State hammered out six home runs against Georgia Southern as the Bobcats run-ruled the Eagles 15-5 in eight innings. 

The win clinched the series for Texas State as the Bobcats have won three consecutive conference series since being swept by Louisiana Monroe in the conference opener. 

The Bobcats struck first as Rashawn Galloway hit a two-run home run, extending his hitting streak to 23 games and putting the Bobcats up 2-0 in the bottom of the first.

Jaquae Stewart followed up with an RBI single to extend the lead.

Georgia Southern responded in the top of the second on an RBI single for their first hit of the game.

The Eagles loaded up the bases with two outs but Sam Hall got out of the jam by forcing the groundout.

In the bottom of the second, Justin Vossos extended the lead to 4-1, hitting his first homer in a Bobcat uniform. 

The Eagles answered back in the top of the fourth, hitting a two-run home run in left field, making it a one-run game at 4-3.

Georgia Southern later took the lead in the top of the fifth, scoring on a two-run home run to go up 5-4 over Texas State. 

The Bobcats answered in the bottom of the fifth. Following a leadoff double by freshman Jackson Cotton, junior Manny Salas connected with an RBI single through the right side, tying the game at 5-5. 

Later in the at-bat with runners on first and second, Stewart crushed a three-run homer in right that went off the roof of the equipment shed and bounced onto the railroad tracks.

But the hits kept on coming for the Bobcat offense.

In the bottom of the sixth, Dawson Park crushed a 450 foot three-run home run in left field, extending the Bobcat lead to 11-5, his 10th of the season. In the same at-bat, redshirt sophomore Ethan Farris hit a two-run home run of his own, making it a 13-5 lead. 

In the bottom of the eighth, the home run show continued as Jackson Cotton hit a leadoff homer in center, making it a 14-5 game. 

With the bases loaded, Farris scored the game winning run, hitting a sacrifice fly to score freshman pinch runner Zachary Gingrich at third, winning the game for the Bobcats via run-rule. 

Eagles rally in the ninth to spoil Bobcat sweep

Texas State rallied from a 6-0 deficit but were unable to overcome a ninth inning rally by Georgia Southern as the Bobcats fell 9-8. 

Texas State closes out the weekend with a 21-10 overall record and an 8-4 conference record while Georgia Southern improves to 11-21 and 4-8 in conference play.

Georgia Southern struck first in the top of the second, scoring on a sacrifice fly then an RBI single to lead 2-0 over the Bobcats. 

The Eagles added another run in the top of the third, scoring on a bases loaded walk. 

Later in the at-bat, the Eagles connected with a two-run RBI double, extending the lead to 5-0. Georgia Southern tacked on another run on a sacrifice fly, making it 6-0.

In the bottom of the fourth, sophomore Dawson Park connected with a solo home run for the Bobcats first run of the game. 

Following the home run, redshirt sophomore Farris connected with a double then freshman Clayton Namken forced a two-out walk, bringing up Mora.

Mora crushed a three-run home run not only to make it a 6-4 game but also becoming Texas State’s new leader in all-time home runs, passing Paul Goldschmidt with 37. 

Texas State continued to chop into the deficit in the bottom of the fifth when Jackson Cotton connected with a leadoff double. After moving to second on a fielder’s choice, Cotton was brought home on a Manny Salas fielder’s choice, making it a one-run game at 6-5. 

The Eagles tacked on a run on a Bobcat error to go up by two once more in the top of the sixth before Texas State answered in the bottom of the seventh, scoring on a fielder’s choice. 

In the bottom of the eighth, Jaquae Stewart reached base on a hit by pitch, bringing Farris up to the plate. 

The sophomore crushed a two-run home run in left, giving the Bobcats an 8-7 lead. 

But Georgia Southern answered back with two runs in the ninth inning, scoring on a wild pitch and an RBI single. 

The top of the ninth saw Texas State use Park as a pitcher after playing the game at shortstop which Trout said was done due to the limited amount of arms in the bullpen. 

“Some guys are down and threw too much this week,” Trout said. “Obviously, [Wade] Cooper threw on Thursday. We could risk it with those guys back there but they have big careers and we care about them more, their long-term health and things like that. 

“We've been prepping for [Park to pitch] for a long time. He throws bullpens and those SIM games every week. It’s not like we threw him out there and said ‘Hey, go try to get an inning out there.’ 
He's throwing a ton. He's got great stuff and had a lot of success in the fall and spring. So he throws a bullpen every week. We were to the point in our staff where it's like he's got our best stuff to go get the outs. It didn't work out our way tonight. Obviously we want to get some guys healthy and lengthen out that bullpen a little bit more.”

Texas State returns to play Tuesday as the Bobcats host the Texas A&M Aggies. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. Tuesday in San Marcos. 

Texas State improves to 20-8 for the season and 7-3 in conference play while Georgia Southern falls to 10-20 and 3-7 in conference play. 

Junior Manny Salas kicked off the game in style, blasting a two-run home run in the bottom of the first to give the Bobcats a 2-0 lead. 

Georgia Southern answered in the top of the second, hitting a solo home run before a sacrifice fly tied the game at 2-2 in the top of the fourth.

Junior Jaquae Stewart scored for the Bobcats with runners on second and third as a wild pitch allowed the former Sinton Pirate to score and give the lead back to Texas State. 

The Eagles answered again, scoring on an RBI groundout with the bases loaded, tying the game back up at 3-3. Georgia Southern looked to do more damage with runners on second and third with two outs by a putout by sophomore Brady Boles at second ended the at-bat. 

In the bottom of the fifth, Salas put Texas State back in front, crushing a two-run homer for his second of the day to give the Bobcats a 5-3 lead. 

Yet again, Georgia Southern refused to back down as the Eagles scored on a sacrifice fly in the seventh before an RBI double in the top of the eighth tied the game up at 5-5. 

The Eagles almost took the lead going into the bottom of the eighth with a runner on second and two outs but a diving catch by Stewart in left field ended Georgia Southern’s at-bat and sent the Bobcats back into the dugout. 

But Stewart’s heroics were not done yet. 

Facing one out on a 2-2 count, Stewart crushed a solo home-run over the wall in center field which was tracked over 450-feet, putting the Bobcats up 6-6. 

Following a strike out, freshman catcher Clayton Namken reached base after being hit by the pitch to bring up Mora. 

Stuck on a 2-2 count with two outs and a runner on first, Mora sent the next pitch over the wall in left field for a historic 36th career home run and putting the Bobcats up 8-5. 

Freshman closer Wade Cooper finished the inning, striking out three to earn his fourth win of the season on the mound and give the Bobcats the victory. 

Texas State will play in a double-header on Friday due to inclement weather against Georgia Southern to close out the three-game series. 

First pitch for Game 1 is set for 2 p.m. Friday while Game 2 is set for 6 p.m. Friday at Bobcat Ballpark. 

Kielsmeier comes over from Cleveland State where he led the program for eight seasons, finishing with an 180-80 overall record along with two conference championships and one appearance in the NCAA Tournament. 

"I am thrilled to be joining the Texas State community and looking forward to an amazing opportunity to build something really special with the Bobcat Family," Kielsmeier said in an official statement. "I would like to thank President Kelly Damphousse and Athletics Director Don Coryell for putting their faith in me to lead the women's basketball program as they enter the prestigious PAC-12 era. I can't wait to get started with building on the tradition and success the program has had in the past, while instilling a new standard of excellence that will see the Bobcat women's basketball program become a perennial contender for championships and postseason bids."

Prior to Cleveland State, Kielsmeier was the head coach of both Howard Payne and Wayne State. At Howard Paye, Kielsmeier led the team to the NCAA Division III national championship during the 2007-2008 season before finishing his tenure with a 179-44 overall record. At Wayne State, Kielsmeier led the program to five appearances in the NCAA Division II Tournament and while finishing his tenure with a 237-72 overall record, the most wins as head coach in program history. 

Kielsmeier's success across three programs is one of the reasons Director of Athletics Don Coryell wanted him to lead the program at Texas State. 

"Chris Kielsmeier is a proven winner and one of the most respected coaches in women's basketball," Coryell said in an official statement. "His track record of success, combined with his ability to recruit at a high level, makes him the ideal leader for our program. Chris has a clear vision and a plan to elevate Texas State women's basketball, and he possesses an elite eye for identifying and developing talent that fits his system. We are excited about the future under his leadership."

Texas State enters a new era as the Bobcats will make the move into the Pac-12 Conference in July of this year. Since making the jump to Division I in 1984, the Bobcats have made the NCAA Tournament twice in 1997 and 2003 after capturing the Southland Tournament championships. 

Texas State falls to 21-15 overall and 4-5 in conference play while Marshall improves to 25-10 and 7-2 in conference play. 

“I thought we battled [but] we just didn't make adjustments,” Head Coach Ricci Woodard said.
”We just talked about it. We have to be better disciplined at the plate. It doesn't do any good to swing at pitches that you shouldn't be swinging at. 
So we just need some more discipline at the plate.”

Marshall scored first, hitting a solo home run in the top of the first, taking the early 1-0 lead. 

Later in the second inning, the Thundering Herd scored again on an RBI single as Texas State found themselves trailing 2-0 after two innings. 

The Bobcats got on the board in the bottom of the third with runners on second and third with two outs as Keely Williams hit an infield RBI single. 

Texas State threaten to score in the bottom of the seventh with runners on first and second with two outs but were unable to bring the runners home as the Thundering Herd claimed both the win and the series. 

After getting 12 hits against Marshall on Friday, the Bobcat offense cooled off, managing just four hits against the Thundering Herd on Saturday then just three hits on Sunday along with scoring a combined two runs in both games. 

Though Woodard was proud of her team for staying in both games, she still wants to see better from her club. 

“I thought we competed,” Woodard said. “We kept ourselves in every ball game and gave ourselves a chance to win. 
That's a good Marshall club. They did what they needed to do offensively, did a good job pitching, hitting spots and keeping us off balance. I don't have a positive or a negative from the weekend. 
We just have to be better.”

Texas State will start a four-game road trip this week, starting with their mid-week game against archrival UTSA. 

First pitch is set for 6 p.m. Tuesday at UTSA. 

Texas State falls to 21-14 overall and 4-4 in conference play while Marshall improves to 24-10 and 5-3 in conference play. 

“We just didn't make adjustments that we needed to,” Head Coach Ricci Woodard said. “That was the bottom line of that. We never made adjustments to figure out how to get above the ball.”

Following a scoreless first four innings, the Thundering Herd scored first on a leadoff home run to take the early 1-0 lead. Later in the at-bat with runners on second and third. Marshall added another run on a sacrifice fly while Texas State turned two on the flyout catch by centerfielder Sidney Harvey before making the throw to third to catch the runner tagging up. 

In the bottom of the sixth, Sydney Harvey reached base on a single then reached second while beating the throw from center field to. Aiyana Coleman brought Harvey home on an RBI single in left field, cutting Marshall’s lead to 2-1. 

In the bottom of the seventh, Kate Bubela kept the Bobcats hopes alive with a one-out double. 

But Marshall ended the game on consecutive strikeouts as the Thundering Herd came away with the victory. 

The Bobcats managed only four hits on the day with Sidney Harvey leading the charge going 2-2 from the plate with one walk. 

The rubber match is set for 10 a.m. Sunday at Bobcat Softball Stadium. 

With the addition of a singular transfer portal, Head Coach G.J. Kinne has seen the energy at pratice picked up between both the coaches and the players. 

“Spring in previous years is when you have a couple practices, do a couple installs and then it's like, all right, who's leaving? Who's staying?” Kinne said.
”Now you can really dive into some more situational work and do some things different than in previous years. So it kind of feels like fall camp. 
I know it's spring, but it kind of feels like fall camp, the way the energy, the passion and the way the guys are coming out and attacking each day. So that part's been fun for me.”

The Bobcats are coming off a 7-6 season in their final year of the Sun Belt Conference while also winning their third consecutive bowl game. 

With several starters returning from last year's team, Kinne is thrilled to get started. 

“I'm really excited about this group,” Kinne said. “Obviously we have a lot of work to do but I thought it was a really good 1st day. We stayed healthy, which is the most important thing and guys were really out there trying to please their coaches. There was a bunch of discipline, guys staying away from the quarterback and staying up. When those things didn't happen, I thought the coaches were right there reminding them.”


Returning on offense is the record breaking trio of sophomore quarterback Brad Jackson, senior wide receiver Beau Sparks and senior wide receiver Chris Dawn Jr. 

Jackson passed for over 3,200 and 18 touchdowns while rushing for 692 yards and 17 touchdowns, a new school record. Jackson’s combined 3,932 yards of total offense also set a new school record. 

Sparks and Dawn Jr. both had over 1,000 yards receiving, marking the first time two Texas State wide receivers had over 1,000 yards receiving in the same season. 

As a team, Texas State was fifth in the nation for total offense and 12th in scoring offense. 

With the continuity on offense, Kinne can feel the difference within his players' veteran leadership. 

“The guys today were flying around,” Kinne said. “You could tell that energy on offense, you could just feel Brad [Jackson] Beau [Sparks] and Chris [Dawn Jr.] the veteran leadership and presence out there. 
We just haven't had that. I was thinking about that the other day. This is Brad's 3rd year in the system, and the 1st time we've had a quarterback for consecutive years. It's just different out there the way he operates and the way it feels when he's out there doing it. So I thought that part was really good to see and thankful for those guys being who they are and practicing the way they do.”

But many eyes will be looking at the Bobcat defense despite the success of the offense. 

Texas State was 78th in total defense while being 94th in scoring defense, giving up an average of 29 points per game including a four-game strech where the Bobcats allowed over 40 points in three one-possesion losses. 

With the Texas State defense now under the leadership of new defensive coordinator Will Windam, Kinne’s focus will be finding a new defensive identity.  

“We have the length and the athleticism, now we just got to develop them,” Kinne said. “Get them playing together and really figuring out what that identity is, right? 
You have a new scheme, a new coordinator, some new players. What are we going to be good at? 


“We kind of know what we're going to be good at on offense just because of Brad and those guys would be coming back and kind of what we want to do so what are we going to hang our hat on on defense? The only way you can really do that is, is having those guys go out there, practice and get better throughout the spring.”

Texas State will continue spring pratice through March and into April, concluding with the Maroon & Gold Spring Showcase Saturday April 25. 

The Bobcats overall record falls to 20-13 overall while Texas improves to 29-1. 

“I like the way we came out,” Head Coach Ricci Woodard said. “Especially because we didn't play real well this past weekend. We kind of gave away some games in my opinion and in [the players] opinion, so I think it was nice just to see them come back out and kind of figure out who we are again.”

The Bobcats loaded up the bases with one out in the bottom of the third inning following a single from senior Sami Hood, a walk by Keely Williams and a single from senior Karmyn Bass. 

Senior Aiyana Coleman made contact with the ball up the middle was the second baseman stepped on second for the forceout. But on the throw to first, the throw was overthrown, allowing both Hood and Willliams to score while Coleman was tagged out at second trying to advance. 

The Longhorns put runners on first and second with one out following a Bobcat error and a walk before scoring their first run of the game on another Bobcat error. 

Texas threatened to score again with runners on first and second with one out but a flyout caught by senior catcher Megan Kelnar and a putout by junior Kat Zarate ended the at-bat. 

Texas later tied the game on a solo home run by Reese Atwood in the top of the sixth inning. 

The Longhorns later took the lead as Katie Stewart hit a solo home run over the wall in center as Texas State trailed 3-2. 

Texas State made one last attempt to complete the upset in the bottom of the seventh but the Longhorns were able to escape the inning and hand the Bobcats the loss. 

The Texas State pitching staff of junior Madison Azua and senior Emma Strood along with the defense held the Longhorn offense to just three runs after coming into the showdown averaging over nine runs per game. 

“When you have to face Maddie Azua andthat change up all the time, you got to figure out what you're going to do with it,” Woodard said. “It took them a while to get to it and then obviously they got to it. 
But again that pitching staff right there with that 1-2 combo that we put against [Texas], I think they're as good as anybody in the country when they're on.”

The Bobcats will have another massive conference series this weekend as Texas State hosts conference leader Marshall. 

The Thundering Herd enter the series with a 23-9 overall record and a 5-1 conference record beating Miami [OH] in their mid-week game and sweeping Georgia Southern last weekend in conference play. 

First pitch for Friday’s game is set for 6 p.m. at Bobcat Softball Stadium. 

Texas State tied a program record eight home runs hit in a single game as the Bobcats defeated the Cajuns 16-6 to complete the three-game sweep. 

I feel like it starts with just one guy and then it gets contagious,” sophomore Ethan Farris said after the game.  “We're just trying to get the next guy up, and we know that the guy behind us can do so much damage. So it's really fun right now. This offense is just I think it's just buzzing. Everyone's buzzing right now.”

With the sweep, the Bobcats improve to 15-8 overall and 3-3 in conference play while the Cajuns fall to 16-8 overall and 2-4 in conference play. 

“Obviously a big weekend and a big response,” Head Coach Steven Trout said. “That's what we talked about was a response from last week. I even told him on Tuesday. 
I thought we played really well, we just didn't win. But I saw things that were better than the three games over the weekend. 
We were trending in the right direction as I told him, even at Monroe we're not going to let 5 games or 3 games define us. It was just a bad weekend that happened sometimes and you have to learn from it, come out and play like that.”

The Bobcats struck first in the bottom of the second when sophomore Ethan Farris hit a solo home run in left field, giving Texas State a 1-0 lead. 

In the same at-bat, freshman Jackson Cotton crushed a two-run home run that went over the wall in center field clocked at 474 ft, extending the lead at 3-0. 

Farris struck again for the Bobcats, hitting a three-run home run in the bottom of the third. 

Following Farris, freshman Clayton Namken hit a solo home run to make it a 7-0 game. Completing the trifecta, senior Chase Mora hit yet another home run as the Bobcats hit three consecutive home runs in a row to lead the Cajuns 8-0. 

“When the wind's blowing out like this,  a lot of times we try to just launch baseball,” Farris said. “It's not launching and hitting pop flies. 
We are still trying to do damage with the launch, but launching baseball and getting stuff elevated is really what we're after when the wind's blowing out like that.”

The Cajuns tacked on a run in the top of the fourth on a fielder’s choice but nothing more in the at-bat as the deficit was cut down to 8-1. 

The Bobcats continued their offensive tear in the following at-bat when junior Manny Salas hit an RBI double before sophomore Dawson Park hit a two-run home run, making it a 11-1 game. 

The Cajuns added a run in the top of the fifth inning on an RBI single before another RBI single cut their deficit down to 11-3

But the Bobcat offense didn’t back down. 

Salas connected with his first home run of the game, blasting a three-run shot to further extend the lead. 

Park then hit his second home run of the game that not only pushed the lead but helped tie a program record of most home runs hit in a single game at eight. 

The Cajuns later scored in the top of the sixth, scoring on an RBI single then a two-run home run, making it a 15-6 game. 

Sophomore Brady Boles tacked on another run for the Bobcats with an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth, as Texas State pushed the Cajuns to the run-rule limit. 

Freshman closer Alex Yearwood finished the game, striking out four batters in one inning to complete the win. 

Senior starter Jesus Tovar finished the game, throwing five innings while allowing just five hits, three earned runs, one walk and striking out three batters to earn his fifth win of the season. 

Texas State returns home Tuesday when the Bobcats host the UTRGV Vaqueros. 

First pitch is set for 6 p.m. Tuesday at Bobcat Ballpark. 

Scoring a combined five runs through three games, senior Keely Williams knew the team needed to bring the right amount of energy in Sunday’s game vs the Warhawks.. 

“Just playing our game,” Williams said. “Last time we talked, we were talking about energy and we had that same issue again. But we just had another quick conversation and brought back what we know then played our game today.”

Connecting with 13 hits, the Bobcats won their critical conference series against ULM, beating the Warhawks 10-2 in five innings.

“I'm hoping today was a statement win,” Head Coach Ricci Woodard said “We cruised into the 1st [game], we let them steal the 2nd one, and so I'm hoping that today we made the point that we're better than what we played on Friday and Saturday.”

“What we finally did is we didn't leave 11 runners on base. We left four,” Head Coach Ricci Woodard said. 
”We had a ton of runners on base so it was nice to see us actually put better swings and better bat on ball today.”

The Bobcats struck first with a sacrifice fly by senior Karmyn Bass to score Williams at third, putting Texas State up 1-0. 

Williams scored another run for Texas State, hitting an RBI double and extending the lead. Following Williams, junior Kate Bubela hit an RBI double, making it a 3-0 game. 

ULM answered in the top of the third inning, loading up the bases before scoring on an RBI single through the left side. 

The Warhawks threatened to score again with the bases still loaded but the Bobcats got out of the jam with getting the second out on a force out at home plate then a ground out at third. 

Texas State got their run back in the bottom of the third when senior Sami Hood hit an RBI single, making it a 4-1 game. 

Williams struck once more for Texas State, hitting an RBI single to extend the lead 5-1. 

ULM answered back with a solo home run in the top of the fifth inning, cutting the Bobcat lead to 5-2. 

The Bobcats scored again in the bottom of the sixth inning as Sami Hood hammered a solo home run over the wall in center field, extending the lead to 6-2. 

Following a bases loaded walk from senior Aiyana Coleman who walked four times in the game, a ULM error allowed two more runs to come across as Texas State led 9-2. 

Senior catcher Megan Kelnar scored the final run for the Bobcats, forcing a bases loaded walk to end the game at 10-2. 

The improvement on offense was exactly what Woodard wanted to see, especially lower the number of base runners that were left on base. 

“What we finally did was we didn't leave 11 runners on base. We left four,” Woodard said. 
”We had a ton of runners on base so it was nice to see us actually put better swings and better bat on ball today.”

The intense series was built up from last year when Texas State swept ULM in the final series of the season which led to the Bobcats clinching the outright regular season conference title. 

With the Warhawks wanting to get their licks back from last season, Williams was more focus on having the team continuing to play their game. 

“Last year we swept them, so we were trying to do that same thing,” Williams said. “Obviously, they didn't go our way yesterday, but I mean, it's a new year, new game, new day, new everything. So just playing our game is just what it is.”

Texas State concludes their 23-game home stand and will go back on the road for the first time in over a month with a five-game road trip. 

The Bobcats start their road trip Tuesday against Houston. 

The Bobcats fell to 17-8 overall and 1-1 in conference play as the team was unable to overcome a 4-0 deficit. 

“They beat us in every category,” Head Coach Ricci Woodard said. “In my opinion, they deserve to win.”

ULM scored first on a fielder’s choice after putting two on in the top of the first. On the ensuing play with runners on first and second, the Bobcats got the force out at second but couldn’t convert the double play on the throw to first, running the baserunner at second to come around a slide into home plate. 

The Warhawks were able to put runners on first and second again in the first but a flyout to right caught by senior Keely Williams ended the at-bat. 

ULM added another run in the second inning with the bases loaded on a sacrifice fly in left field, making it a 2-0 Warhawks. 

The lead was later extended to 4-0 in the same inning on a two-run RBI single. 

 The Bobcats put their first runs on the board in the bottom of the second inning when Williams forced the bases loaded walk. Senior Kate Bubela added another run on a fielder’s choice, allowing sophomore Mayson Garrett to score from third. 

The Warhawks added on to their lead in the top of the fifth inning, scoring on a groudout with runners on second and third and beating the throw home to lead 5-2.

ULM later tacked on another run following a bases loaded walk in the top of the sixth inning, making it a 6-2 game. 

In the bottom of the seventh, Aiyana Coleman crushed a solo home run to right field to jump start the Bobcats comeback hopes. But ULM slammed the door on the comeback to preserve the win. 

With the series tied at 1-1, the Bobcats will look to claim the series tomorrow to take another critical conference win with the mindset of improving on offense. 

“We have to do a better job at the plate period,” Woodard said. “So we don't necessarily have to work harder, but we have to work smarter.”

First pitch is set for 12 p.m. Sunday. 

Former Head Coach Zenarae Antoine stepped down after 15 seasons with the Bobcats, leaving with the most wins in program history and an overall record of 225-232. The search will also mark just the fourth time Texas State will look for a new head coach since 1989. 

With the Bobcats moving into the new Pac-12 conference next season, Texas State will attract a great amount of interest with the conference’s focus on basketball. 

Here are some early candidates to keep an eye on. 

Leonard Bishop, Stephen F. Austin

Bishop has led the Lumberjacks to three consecutive winning seasons, including an NCAA Tournament appearance last season and has SFA knocking on the door for a second consecutive bid after advancing to the Southland Conference Tournament finals. In all three seasons as head coach, Bishop’s teams have played in conference tournament finals in both the Southland and the WAC. 

Bishop was also a part of the SFA coaching staff that made back to back NCAA Tournament appearances in 2021 and 2022. 

A’Quonesia Krashun Franklin, Lamar

Franklin has led Lamar to four consecutive winning seasons, including a regular season championship in 2024. 

Since taking over at Lamar in 2019, Franklin has accumulated an overall record of 120-85. 

Franklin played at Texas A&M and was a third round pick in the 2008 WNBA Draft.

Karen Aston, UTSA

Aston took over a program in 2021 that had not won more than 10 games in a single season before leading the Roadrunners to an American Conference regular season conference championship in 2025. 

Before coming to UTSA, Aston was previously the head coach of Texas, leading the Longhorns to six NCAA Tournament appearances. 

Aston boasts a career record of 349-208. 

Lindsey Edmonds, Rice

Edmonds led Rice to their first regular season conference championship since 2021 this season while leading the Owls to the NCAA Tournament in 2024. 

Edmonds has culminated with an overall record of 100-58 in just five seasons. 

Before coming to Rice, Edmonds was an assistant coach at North Carolina State for eight seasons.