Texas State softball (34-24-1, 13-9-1 Sun Belt Conference) fell 2-1 to Texas A&M (34-19, 12-12 Southeastern Conference) in its first NCAA Regional game at McCombs Field in Austin Saturday night. 
Texas State Head Coach Ricci Woodard was proud of how her team competed while also praising the Aggies. 
“We played a good game, good enough to keep us in the ball game,” Woodard said postgame. “A&M played a good enough ball game to keep themselves in things. I thought all the way around, both ball clubs played good ball games.” 
Junior right-handed pitcher Jessica Mullins got the start on the mound for Texas State. The first team All-Sun Belt pitcher got off to a shaky start, by walking two batters and giving up a single. 
However, the Bobcat defense stiffened and managed to escape the inning without surrounding any runs. 
In the bottom of the third inning Woodard brought senior right-handed pitcher Tori McCann out of the bullpen to relief Mullins. 
McCann threw well only giving up four hits and no runs. Woodard said McCann did exactly what she needed to do to help the team execute its game plan. 
“Tori came in and pitched a great couple of innings,” Woodard said. “The plan was always to bring her in in the middle and she did well.” 
Both teams battled defensively, as neither scored a run until the top of the sixth inning when Texas State finally drew first blood.
Texas State junior utility, Hannah Earls, who has the highest batting average on the team with a .320 average got on base due to an error made by A&M sophomore pitcher, Emiley Kennedy. 
Earls advanced to second base after an RBI delivered by sophomore left fielder, Ciara Trahan. Earls then advanced to third on a wild pitch from Aggie right-hander pitcher Shaylee Ackerman and was brought home off a sacrifice pop fly curiosity of freshman catcher Megan Kelnar to give Texas State the first lead of the game at 1-0.
In the bottom of the seventh inning Woodard elected to bring Mullins back in the circle to close out the game. 
Texas State was one out away from sealing the victory but was unable to get the final out. A first-pitch single given up by Mullins provided the Aggies momentum and they took advantage of it. 
Texas A&M sophomore shortstop Koko Wooley singled into centerfield bringing sophomore centerfielder Allie Enright home. It appeared as though Texas State was going to tag her out at home plate but junior centerfielder Piper Randolph overthrew the ball to Kelnar allowing Enright to tie the score at 1-1 and send the game into an eighth inning. 
“The idea was there, the execution wasn’t, and we got beat because of it,” Texas State senior infielder Sara Vanderford said. “If we swing the bats better earlier in the game and make adjustments as coach tells us to do, then we’re not in that spot.”
Despite leaving the winning run on base Texas A&M managed to carry its newfound momentum into the extra inning as the Aggie defense forced three quick Texas State outs. 
The Texas State defense also showed resilience by forcing two quick outs of its own yet once again with their backs against the wall the Aggies had the answer. 
Junior third basemen Rylen Wiggins delivered a triple into deep left field to put herself into scoring position. 
During the next at-bat freshman dp Gracyn Coleman brought Wiggins home with an RBI into right field to clinch the crushing 2-1 defeat for Texas State.
“Credit to the Aggies,” Woodard said. “They kept themselves in that game the whole way.” 
By letting the win slip away the Bobcats now find themselves in a must win situation heading into their next matchup against Seton Hall who lost its opening game 8-0 to Texas. 
The loser of the game will be the first team eliminated from the Austin Regional. 
Opening pitch between Texas State and Seton Hall is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Saturday, May. 20 at McCombs Field in Austin, Texas. The game will be available to stream on ESPN+.