Bobcats fall to No. 12 Oregon in home opener, 7-3

Texas State got another crack at the team that ended its season last year.

The Bobcats hosted No. 12 Oregon in their home opener on Thursday. The two teams split a pair of games in the NCAA Austin Regional in 2021, though the Ducks came out on top in the second game to eliminate the maroon and gold.

Texas State didn’t fare any better this time around. The hosts dropped Thursday’s game inside Bobcat Softball Stadium, 7-3.

“I was proud of the way this team battled today,” head coach Ricci Woodard said. “Last weekend, I didn't feel like we battled when we got down 3-1, but this game, I felt we continued to battle until the very end. I was just proud of the way we came out and played seven innings today.”

The visitors got on the board first with a run in the top of the third inning, but the maroon and gold answered back in the bottom of the fourth. Sophomore designated player Anna Jones drew a walk and sophomore catcher Caitlyn Rogers moved her into scoring position with a single down the left field line. Graduate first baseman Dani Elder sent Jones home with an RBI single to left field.

Texas State (2-2) couldn’t keep the offense going, though, as sophomore second baseman Claire Ginder grounded into a double play, keeping the game tied at 1-1.

The Bobcats surrendered a pair of runs to Oregon (6-0) in the top of the fifth and another two in the top of the sixth, even after swapping pitchers between frames, falling behind 5-1. 

The team trimmed the deficit down some in the bottom of the sixth. Freshman left fielder Ciara Trahan led off with a single up the middle and junior second baseman Sara Vanderford drove her across with an RBI double to right center. Rogers followed it up with a single through the left side, scoring Vanderford and cutting it to 5-3. But the maroon and gold couldn’t advance Rogers any further before the Ducks retired the side.

Oregon added two more insurance runs in the top of the ninth. Trahan and junior right fielder Kylie George both swung for a single in the final frame but Texas State couldn’t score either runner, ending up with the 7-3 defeat.

Sophomore right-handed pitcher Karsen Pierce received the loss, allowing four hits, three walks and three runs while striking out one batter in 5.0 innings of work. Woodard was impressed by Pierce keeping the Bobcats in the game against one of the top teams in the country.

“I thought Karsen Pierce threw a heck of a game,” Woodard said. “She threw well enough to win a ballgame for us and we just didn't get it done for her, in my opinion.”

Texas State will look to bounce back this weekend when it plays in the University of Houston Tournament. The team will face McNeese State (6-2) at 10 a.m. and Houston (4-3) at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday. The Bobcats will end the weekend on Sunday with games against No. 1 Oklahoma (7-0) at 10 a.m. and the Cougars again at 12:30 p.m.