Mullins earns 400th strikeout, TXST takes series over UTA
Texas State won its first two games of the weekend, clinching a series win over UT Arlington on the road.
“It was nice to see the top of the lineup set the tone early in the game, but we have to continue to work on driving in runners in key situations,” Texas State head coach Ricci Woodard said in a statement after Thursday’s game. “I thought we showed the potential of doing just that in the top of the fifth with five two-out runs.
“Through it all, though, it was good to see everyone put pieces of the puzzle together to earn the win tonight.”
The Bobcats began the series with an 11-2 run-ruling of the Mavericks in five innings. Sophomore right fielder Anna Jones got the visitors on the board with an RBI single. Texas State brought in two more runs in the third inning to take a 3-0 lead, though the host got one back with a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth.
The maroon and gold hung an eight-spot in the top of the fifth, punctuated by a three-RBI homer to right centerfield by senior catcher Caitlyn Rogers. UTA needed three runs in the bottom frame to keep the game going but only mustered one, suffering the 11-2 defeat.
Sophomore ace Jessica Mullins received the win, allowing three hits, no walks and one earned run while striking out five across 4.1 innings. She picked up her 25th win of the season the next day, guiding the Bobcats to a 7-2 victory over the Mavericks in the second game of the series.
Two errors by UTA in the top of the second inning allowed Texas State to plate three runners without registering a hit. The Mavericks cut the deficit to 3-2 in the bottom of the third, but the Bobcats scored in each of the next three innings to go back up 7-2.
Mullins (25-11) sat down the final three batters she saw to seal the win, striking out the last. The right-hander finished the day giving up six hits, two walks and two runs while fanning five in the complete game, throwing 120 pitches. She became the sixth pitcher in Texas State history to surpass 400 career strikeouts and the first to do it since former Bobcat Randi Rupp accomplished the feat as a sophomore in 2016.
Texas State (34-17, 18-8 Sun Belt) needs to win one more game and needs South Alabama (23-19, 15-6) to lose one more game to move up to the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament. The Bobcats’ regular season finale against UTA (22-24, 12-14) begins at 1 p.m.
