State claims first series with win over South Alabama

Texas State picked up its first Sun Belt series win on Sunday when the Bobcats defeated South Alabama 12-2 in five innings on Sunday in Mobile, Alabama.

The team defeated the Jaguars on Friday, 9-6, but lost game two of the series on Saturday, 3-1, leaving Sunday’s game as the deciding matchup. Texas State raced out to a big lead early in the contest.

After both teams went scoreless in the first inning, junior infielder Hailey MacKay led off the second with a double, the Bobcats’ first hit of the day. Junior catcher Haleigh Davis brought her home with a single, then advanced to scoring position as well after stealing second base. Sophomore infielder ArieAnn Bell was walked in the next at bat.

Senior outfielder Kennedy Cline hit another double for Texas State two at-bats later, allowing Davis to score and Bell to reach third. Texas State followed with consecutive singles to earn two more runs. A sacrifice fly from junior infielder Bailee Carter and another double from sophomore infielder Tara Oltmann resulted in the final two runs of the inning, giving the visitors a 6-0 lead.

The hosts answered with a run in the bottom of the fourth, but the Bobcats piled on another five in the top of the fifth. South Alabama scored again in the bottom of the fifth, but weren’t able to avoid the mercy rule, falling 12-2.

Texas State (11-15, 2-4 Sun Belt) will return home to host Incarnate Word (2-18, 0-3) inside Bobcat Softball Stadium on Wednesday at 2 p.m.